Storming Sky
by catchmeinwonderland
Summary: It was a verbal storm that caused her mother to pack them up and leave. It was a weather storm that caused the car accident that resulted in her mother's death. Her life has been a storm ever since, trying to figure out where she fits in as a human girl adopted by vampires. The Twilight Saga through the eyes of Danielle Cullen.
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

I remember the fighting. I remember the yelling and screaming – soon followed by painful cries from my mother.

I remember a door slamming, without so much as a goodbye, and a truck starting, leaving the driveway and inevitably leaving my life.

I remember my mother coming up to check on me, tears flowing on her blotchy red cheeks. I closed my eyes so she would think I was sleeping, but she knew better.

"You are so loved, my angel," she whispered to me, and kissed me on the forehead. "It is safe, now, you can go to sleep." 

I remember waking up to a storm, full of as much rage and thunder as the fight between my parents. I walked downstairs to find my mother hurriedly packing the car, looking over her shoulder every few minutes to make sure no one was there. I stood in the doorway.

"We need to go away for a while, my love. I packed your bag while you were sleeping. Why don't you grab something to eat and go wait in the car. I know it's scary outside, but we don't have a choice right now," my mother said to me. So I grabbed a cereal bar, and waited in the car.

I remember waiting a long time for my mother to come back. The thunder and lightning was scary. The rain was coming down so hard, I thought it was going to crash through the windows and swallow me up. When she finally did come back, she was crying again.

I remember the long drive down the highway. Trees everywhere, barely visible behind the sea of water flowing from the sky. My mother looking through the rearview mirror frequently, as if she was afraid someone was following her.

I fell asleep shortly after that.

* * *

I woke up to many voices, and a cold, wet hand shaking me awake.

"Sweetheart, you need to wake up," a man said.

"Who are you?" I asked him, "Where's my mommy?"

"Mommy is being taken care of, you were in a car accident. My name is Carlisle. Are you hurt anywhere, my dear?"

"I don't think so," I said. I wasn't in any pain.

"Okay, then we will get you out of here, but you need to tell me if anything hurts, okay?" The man, Carlisle, said again.

"I want my mommy," I told him. I couldn't see her from where I was anymore.

"I know, sweetheart, I know. It will be okay" he told me, and slowly lifted me from the vehicle.

He took me to a police car, and a man in a blue uniform was waiting for me. Carlisle handed me to him, and he buckled me up in the backseat. He tried putting on sirens and making everything look cool, but it was still raining outside, and my mother was still nowhere to be found. 

I remember being brought to a special room in the police building. A special room where a woman dressed in black was waiting for me.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Danielle," I told her. "I want my mommy."

"Well, Danielle, my name is Christine. I actually have some news to tell you about your mommy, okay?"

"Where is she?" I asked her.

"Danielle, you mommy was killed in the car accident. She lives in the sky now. Do you understand that?"

"I want to see her."

"I wish I could take you to see her, but, unfortunately, you won't be able to see her for a long, long, time. I am going to take you to your daddy very soon."

"Not Daddy." I said.

"Why not daddy?" Christine asked.

"Daddy hurt my mommy" I told her, and started crying. "He is the reason why we left. I don't want to go back to him."

"Okay, honey, okay. It will all be okay." 

I remember her leaving the room for a while and a police officer bringing me some snacks. I did not each much, even though I was very hungry.

I remember her coming back a few times, and asking me different questions about my family, especially my mother and father and their relationship.

I remember the last time she came back, she was with a man. It was the man from the car accident. It was Carlisle.

"Hi Carlisle," I told him when he walked in.

"Hi Danielle," he told me, smiling sadly, "how would you like it if you could come home with me?" he asked.

"I want to go home with mommy," I said.

"I know you do, my dear, but guess what. I have a very big house, with a lot of grass for you to run around in. I have a wife who would love you make you a warm dinner when we get there. I also have five wonderful children of my own who would love to be your brothers and sisters. Have you ever wanted a brother or a sister?"

"Yes, but mommy said no." I told him.

"Well, now you can have five, if you want to come live with me and my family for a while," Carlisle told me.

"Okay, I guess," I told him, and we talked for a while about his family and he answered my questions.

I remember going to his home and meeting his family. The family, that over the past six years has become my family. The home that became my home. The love that became my love.


	2. The New Girl

**A/N:** So wow, the response I have gotten to this story is fantastic. I never thought I would be writing another fanfiction again, but this inspiration hit me and I had to try it. I do want to mention that this chapter follows very closely with both _Twilight_ and _Midnight Sun_. I tried to use both books to get an idea of the timeline and what the Cullens and Bella were actually doing in this chapter. Some of the lines I used are from the books, and I certainly do not own them. With that said, I hope you enjoy chapter one!

THE NEW GIRL

"Rise and shine sleepyhead!" A voice – my sister, Alice – yelled right into my ear.

"Go away," I said, and rolled over, covering my face. I was not ready to be woken up, yet.

"We are going to be late for school if you do not get out of bed right now, so you have until I count to three, or I am going to help you get out of bed. One, two-"

"Alright I'm up," I said, literally rolling off of my bed. Alice chuckled.

"Just be glad it was me this morning and not Emmett, he was going to use an air horn like he did for the first day of school. I told him I would take care of it instead." 

"I'm so very grateful for your presence, Alice," I smiled at her as I walked to my bathroom.

"You will be when you see your outfit for today!" I heard her call out. _Oh boy._

The way my family worked was very unique. I had different relationships with all of my siblings, and I was close to them in different ways. I wouldn't say that I was closer to some than others, just that I needed some personalities over others on a given day.

Alice and I were both very energetic and we were best friends. We hung out together at school and at home. She would help me make costumes for dance and we went shopping together. She had seen me come into their lives as a sister, and had treated me like one ever since.

Jasper and I weren't very close at first. He was afraid he was going to hurt me, but then I started having nightmares when I first moved in after my mom died. He was the one who would take care of me when Carlisle was on the night shift at the hospital. He would read me stories and we would just sit and talk until I fell back asleep. We became comfortable around each other and now, he's my go-to guy to mess with around the house.

Rosalie is very much an older sister. We have a love-hate relationship. Most of the time, she's awesome. She takes me shopping and she does my hair. She is super motherly, which helped a lot when I was younger. As I got older, though, it got more annoying. She gets in moods and that's when I try to stay away from her.

Emmett is true and true a textbook older brother. He picks on me, but defends me. He plays video games with me and never lets me win. He's my partner in crime around the house when I'm bored and want to mess with people. He tries to trick me into watching scary movies, which is when I am grateful for Rosalie who puts him in his place.

Lastly, my brother Edward. Edward is a unique soul. He can read my thoughts, so we are close and I can talk to him a lot, like my relationship with Jasper. He doesn't try to trick me, like Emmett, but he will try to get on my nerves every once in a while. He is crazy smart and helps me with my homework. We also have a strong musical connection, because he taught me how to play piano when I was little. He introduced me to a lot of classical music and we have bonded over that through the years. Whenever I need a song for a routine, he's always the brother to go to.

"Danielle we are going to be late!" Speak of the Devil.

"I'm almost done, Edward! I just need to put on some clothes!" I yelled, unnecessarily. Alice was right, I did love the outfit she picked for me.

I threw on my clothes and headed downstairs to see my mom waiting for me with breakfast to go, since I was running late – again.

"Your father had to go into work early so you missed him, but he says he loves you and he will see you tonight. Have a good day, dear," Mom said.

"You too mom, love you!" I told her and hugged her goodbye. My siblings were already outside in the car, waiting for me.

I walked outside and hopped into Edward's Volvo.

"No BMW today, Rose?" I asked Rosalie.

"The weather would ruin my hair," she said, pointedly.

"You realize 75% of the days in the year in Forks are like this? Why do you have a convertible if you don't ever want to use it?" I said.

Edward laughed, "I recall you having fun in that convertible last summer."

"Yeah, last summer. Not in the middle of winter, which, by the way I'm turning the heat up, because I am freezing to death over here," I was in the front seat with Edward, which meant I wasn't too close to any of their cold bodies, but the lack of body heat did not help my lack of warmth.

"So," I said, turning around to Jasper, "How was yours and Emmett's tussle last night?"

"It went well," Jasper said, smiling, as Emmett's smile turned into a glare, "I won."

"I'm planning a rematch as we speak," Emmett added from the way back of the Volvo. 

"Oh boy," I said. Luckily for me, I have learned to sleep through just about anything given I'm the only one in my house who sleeps.

"Alrighty, so everything is all clear for today…ooh! Dani! Wait, never mind, you'll find out later," Alice said, getting out of the car smiling.

"I hate it when you do that, Alice," I told her.

"I know, but sometimes I forget that you're a human and you need the surprises in your life," she said, and gave me my backpack, "Have a great day!"

"Oh I bet I will," I said, sarcastically and walked off to find my friends.

I walked inside the auditorium to find them all huddled together.

"Guess who?" I said, covering my friend Mariana's eyes.

"It's Dani," she said, automatically, "Hi Dani!" she said, more enthusiastically.

"Hey Dani, did you see the new girl?" My other friend, Tyler Newton, said. He was standing next to Ronna Perry, the freshman girl he had a crush on. It was cute.

"No, I didn't even know there was a new girl. It's the middle of the term, why would someone start right now?" I asked.

"Who knows, but my brother said that she was a junior, so your people should have her in a few classes," Tyler said.

"Interesting," I said, letting the air fall thin. For all I knew, Tyler's brother was probably already hitting on the poor girl.

RING

RING

RING

As the bell rang for first period, a chorus of goodbyes and see you later went around the crew. As I turned to go to my first period – chemistry – my favorite human appeared behind me.

"Hey beautiful," he said, pulling me into his arms.

"Andrew, we're going to be late for class," I told him.

"Let's be later," he said suggestively, "This is the only time I get to see you when your brothers aren't giving me the evil eye."

"Maybe they give you the evil eye because you make me late for class!" I told him, laughing. "Come on, you can walk me to Chem."

"I actually have something I wanted to give you before you went to class," he said, fiddling with his hands, "I know it's totally old school, but my mom was giving me a hard time about not giving this to you yet, since, you know, we've been official for a while so…" he took his class ring off and handed it to me, "here you go."

"Holy shit, Andrew, are you serious?" I said. Andrew's family was totally old school, like he said. Within a week of the two of us dating officially, Andrew's mother invited my entire family over for dinner. Only my parents went (and, humorously choked down a spaghetti dinner, I might add), but the notion was still there. For his mom to want him to give me his class ring was a big step. This must have been what Alice saw this morning.

"Yeah, I'm serious about you Dani. You're amazing," he said, and leaned down to kiss me. I kissed him back.

"Thank you so much," I said.

"Come on, let's go see Mr. Kelley. He'll give us both late passes if we say we were rehearsing," Andrew said, pulling me into his side.

"You're diabolical," I said, smiling.

"I know," He smiled.

The rest of the morning went on without incident. I went to Chemistry and English and even answered a few questions. I didn't even see my siblings or the new girl until lunch time.

"Hey guys," I said, sitting down with my lunch. I didn't always eat lunch with my siblings, but I didn't have lunch with Andrew today, and I wanted to tell them about my "surprise."

"Dani! Let me see!" Alice said excitedly and grabbed my hand – a little too hard.

"Ow, Alice," I said, and she let go of my hand quickly.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" She asked, terrified that she had hurt me. The rest of my siblings at the table looked up. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be the first time that one of my siblings had overestimated the strength of my feeble human body.

"Yeah, Alice, I'm fine, just be a little gentler next time," I smiled for good measure.

"It's so beautiful," Alice said, and Rosalie came around to look as well. Edward, Jasper, and Emmett rolled their eyes. They didn't like to think about me in a relationship.

"You're sixteen, there shouldn't be a relationship," Edward said.

"For your age, I'm surprised you're not used to that," I smiled and winked at Edward. Emmett gave me a high five.

Then, a girl – a freshman, I think – stopped to talk to a friend at the table next to ours. Most of the time, people knew to steer clear of the mysterious Cullen siblings. Sometimes, though, people got a little too brave and came too close.

She was running her fingers through her hair, and the heater in the cafeteria must have blown her scent to our table, because everyone tensed. I stayed very still, as well, so that I didn't hurt them anymore than I already did.

Eventually everyone except Jasper calmed down. They hadn't been "hunting" in two weeks, which wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't an extremely long time for most of my siblings. Poor Jasper, however, was struggling. Edward kicked his chair, so I knew something was wrong.

"Sorry," he said, shamefully, and looked down. Alice rubbed his back.

"You weren't going to do anything," she said, "I could see that."

"I can leave, if you need me too," I admitted, softly. I always felt a little guilty of who I was in these moments.

"No, honey, he's fine," Alice said, smiling.

"You don't need to be guilty," Jasper choked out.

"It helps if you think of them as people," added, "like we did when Dani first moved in."

"She's a freshman, I think," I mentioned.

"Her name is Whitney. She has a baby sister she adores. Her mother invited Esme to that garden party, remember?" Alice said, lightly and quickly. I could barely hear her.

"I know who she is," Jasper said, curtly, and stopped to look out the window. The conversation ended there.

I took a few bites of my sandwich and got up to throw the trash out. On my way, I saw Jessica Stanley talking to the new girl. Mike and a few of his friends were at the same table. At the table next to them was Tyler, Ronna, Mariana, and Justin, so I went to go talk to them.

"Jessica is totally faking it," Tyler said. "She has this huge crush on my brother, but he's oblivious. It's why she's always so nice to me, but I know that smile."

"What are they even talking about?" I asked them. Mariana shared a look with Tyler and then looked at me sadly.

"They're talking about the Cullens," she said. _Oh_.

"What are they saying?" I asked, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"The usual. That you're all not related, well, except for you, Rosalie, and Jasper, and that Dr. Cullen is some kind of match maker."

"Jeez," I said. Yeah, that was our story here in Forks.

We moved here two years ago from Denali, Alaska where we lived with another group of vampires for a while. When we came here, I was only 13. The family sat down at our new home and decided our first night who we would be. Carlisle and Esme would be husband and wife, naturally. They were young, so there was no way any of us could be biological. They decided that Jasper, Rosalie, and I would be siblings – Jasper and Rosalie would be twins and I was their younger sister, and that we would be Esme's sister's children who the Cullens adopted when we were little. Because we were so young, Carlisle and Esme grew to become our real parents.

Emmett, Edward, and Alice were also all adopted by Carlisle and Esme, but they weren't siblings. I guess Emmett and Alice could pass, because their hair is similar, but Edward's bronze hair would definitely raise a red flag.

"Edward keeps looking at her," Tyler pointed out, pulling me from my thoughts.

"I wonder why," I said. Something had to be wrong. He doesn't usually concentrate this much on one person unless there was something wrong. I'd have to ask him about it later.

RING

RING

RING

The bell rang and everyone got up from their seats. I waved goodbye to my siblings, but they didn't seem to notice. Rosalie had a look of disdain, opposite of Emmett's amused face. Jasper was still concentrating on not killing anyone and Alice looked worried. Edward was frustrated. I let it be, there was nothing I could do about it here, and left for my next class – chorus.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Chorus was fun, but only because all of my friends were in that class. We were the musicians of the school. Most of us played instruments and sang in the A Capella group. There was also a good chunk that danced at the dance studio in town, run by Mr. Kelley, who is a gym teacher here. The chorus teacher, Ms. Charlier, knew that we were talented, and pushed us. We were working on getting our traditional chorus to become more like a show choir, and she pretty much let us lead the way.

After chorus I had Algebra II with Tyler, and we spent the entire time talking about the new girl.

"Her name is Bella," Tyler said. "She transferred from Phoenix and is living with Chief Swan, who is her dad. Apparently she spent a bunch of summers up here as a kid, but got tired of traveling so much and hasn't really been around. She hates the weather here, apparently."

"So why did she move from Phoenix, then?" I asked him. I know I hated the weather in Forks, but, when you live with a family of vampires, there really isn't much of a choice.

"Family drama, I guess. Eric and Jessica have been all over her. She seems to like that crowd, though," Tyler said, whispering so Mrs. Clyde didn't hear us. She was going over some math thing that no one understood for a test no one wanted to take.

"That sucks," I said. My family had drama, but it wasn't that kind of drama. My mom has always said that as long as we stick together and love each other, there isn't any problem that can't be fixed.

"Yeah," Tyler said, and the conversation died from there.

After the final bell rang, Tyler and I walked back to the music room where our A Capella group's rehearsal would be starting. We were working on a few different songs, but mostly, people just kept talking about the new girl. It was getting annoying.

"It's like a toddler with a shiny new toy," I vented to Andrew when he tried to bring up that she was in his biology class.

"Listen, babe, something was off with Edward today. Usually he pays attention and stuff, but today, he just looked like he wanted to kill her. He couldn't wait to get out of there," Andrew told me. _I knew something was off during lunch._

The whole rehearsal was painful. I was distracted and couldn't find my pitch for beans, and no one was paying attention. Finally, Ms. Charlier let everyone go saying that on Wednesday, we had to seriously nail down this new song.

I walked outside to find my mom waiting for me. She had my dad's car, but my dad wasn't around.

"How was school today, sweetie?" She asked.

"It was good. Look at what Andrew gave me this morning," I showed her, smiling. She smiled back.

"It's beautiful, dear, I'm so happy for you." My mom really liked Andrew. My whole family did, even if they wouldn't admit it to my face.

"What's for dinner?" I asked her. Most of the time she made it for me, even though she didn't eat herself.

"I was thinking I would make some lasagna, if you're feeling up for it," she offered.

"Ooh, yum," I smiled. Lasagna was a good comfort food.

We pulled into the driveway and the Volvo wasn't there, which was weird. They should have gotten home hours ago.

"Where is everyone?" I asked my mom.

"Alice and Jasper went hunting, Emmett and Rosalie are in their room, and your father is in the study," she answered.

"Where's Edward?" I asked. I wanted to talk to him after today. With that question, my father came downstairs.

"Hello, my darling," he greeted me and pulled me into a hug.

"Hi daddy, how was work?"

"It was fine, but if you ever try chugging a quart of soy sauce for a dare, you will be grounded for the rest of your life," he smiled. "I do have some news for you, though," he added, changing his tone.

"Is it about Edward?" I questioned, again.

"Yes. Edward has decided to leave for a while so that he can gain more control regarding the new girl at your school."

"How long?" I asked, sadly. Things weren't the same when one of my siblings wasn't here, especially Edward. I knew he was hurting and I felt bad for him.

"We don't know yet. He'll come back when he's ready. In the mean time, I thought we could have a game night tonight – when you're done with your homework," he added.

"Okay, I guess so," I surrendered and went upstairs to start my homework before dinner was ready. I didn't know what this girl was doing to our family, but it was only day one and I sure didn't like it.


	3. Snow

SNOW

The only good thing about today was that Edward was back. He spent the remainder of last week in Denali and came back last night. Apparently, he brought the arctic weather with him, because it was snowing outside.

Monday's were the worst. I didn't do much over the weekend except review a dance routine with Andrew over Skype and practice a bit of piano while Edward wasn't home to judge me. I played chess with Jasper – and loss. I did my homework. I ate. I slept. That's about it.

We all crammed into Edward's Volvo again for school this morning, ready to start a new week. Everyone was worried about what Bella said to people about Edward almost eating her last week. Alice kept trying to convince everyone that it would be okay, but even I could tell that she wasn't sure herself.

I said goodbye to my siblings, saying that I would see them at lunch. I didn't get more than a few feet ahead of them before a snowball was slamming into my head.

"What the heck?" I yelled as a turned around, looking to see who the culprit was. It was Tyler. I could hear my siblings laughing at me from across the parking lot. Even Edward had a small smile on his face. I just glared at them.

"Sorry, Dan, I couldn't resist. I got Ronna real good this morning too, didn't I Ron?" Tyler said, turning to Ronna.

"It's like his mating call, or something," Ronna choked out, a little disturbed at what she just said. Tyler blushed. I laughed.

"That was good, Ronna! Make more jokes like that, they're funny," I told her, giving her a high five. That's when I noticed Andrew and Justin walking into the Humanities building. _Speaking of mating calls…_ I thought to myself.

"You know what, I'll catch up with you too later," I told them and ran off to meet Andrew.

"Hey, guys, wait up!" I called to the two boys.

"Hey Dani, how was your weekend?" Andrew asked, pecking me on the lips.

"It was alright. Pretty boring. I did change a few things to our routine though, babe after we skyped. Just to make it a little more dynamic."

"I wish you wouldn't do that without me. You and your crazy ambitions," he said, and I could tell he was a little agitated.

"You love my crazy ambitions," I responded, trying to butter him up.

"Alright you two," Justin said, cutting in. "I need Andrew for English, so if you don't mind I'm gonna take him now and you can have him next period in Spanish."

"Sounds like a plan. See you two later!" I called to them and started walking to my own class.

History went by like a breeze, and so did Spanish. I had been learning Spanish from Jasper since I was little, so I was technically a level higher than most sophomores, which is why I got to be in Andrew's class.

After Spanish, it was lunch, and everyone was eager to get out into the snow. I didn't understand it.

"What's your beef with snow?" Andrew asked me. We had lunch together today.

"It's cold, it's wet, it causes car accidents, and it makes people fall and hurt themselves," I stated. "Nothing good comes from snow."

"Not even snow forts or snowball fights?" Andrew laughed.

"Absolutely not," I confirmed. "It is so cold outside, I just don't understand how people are out here."

Finally we got to the cafeteria and sat down with Tyler, Mariana, Justin, Ronna, and some other chorus kids.

"When did your brother get back?" Andrew asked me, noticing Edward sitting at the "Cullen Table."

"Last night," I said, softly. I didn't know what details I should or should not share – there was never a briefing on this one.

"Must be nice to be able to take a vacation," he mumbled. I hit him on the shoulder.

"Be nice, he's my brother. He's going through some stuff," I said to him, throwing a worried glance at Edward. They looked fine, but that worry was still in the air.

"Yeah, like trying to figure out how to beat Mike to Bella," Tyler laughed, "It's all Mike talked about this weekend."

"He's not interested," I said, trying to shut this conversation down. Everyone at the table scoffed and gave me that look you give when you don't believe someone. I didn't blame them.

The rest of the day was uneventful. People talked. I shut them down, as always. I was the "normal Cullen," so people forgot that my siblings were my siblings and they just ran their mouths. It pissed me off, especially in times like this. I tried to keep track of where Edward was, but it was a lost cause.

I walked out of school after the final bell rang and walked to the Volvo. It didn't look like Edward killed Bella today, which was a good sign. I would die if we had to move away right now. In fact, Edward was watching Bella get into her car and pull away.

"You're a creep," I said, getting into the front seat of the Volvo.

"I am not," Edward said, clearly in a better mood than he was this morning.

"Every time I have seen you today, you have been staring at Bella. I thought you didn't like her?" I asked him.

"She's…tempting to me, but I learned today that she is very interesting," he trailed.

"What does that even mean?" I scoffed. Sometimes I was convinced that Edward spoke in tongues.

"I can't read her mind," he confessed. No one else in the car was surprised, they already knew. As usual, I was the last to know anything in this family.

"You can't?" I said, shocked, "That's not good! How do we know if she's a threat or not if you don't know what she's thinking?"

"I spoke with her today in Biology, she's very kind, selfless, and is not harmful at all," Edward said. I couldn't believe this.

"Great, so you go from nearly killing her to being her best friend. People talk, you know, Edward. You need to pick a side here. Humans aren't good with weird."

"I think we all know that," Emmett added from the back. I gave him a look.

At least I didn't nearly throw up in the car ride home today. Edward was a little kinder with his driving.

"I _am_ sorry for that, Dani," Edward apologized. I shrugged.

"It's fine, I get it," _Lie._ The truth is, I would never get it, because I am not a vampire. I am a human, and I plan on keeping it that way.

"You don't need to be guilty of that, Danielle. Don't ever be sorry that you aren't one of us," Edward said, pulling me into a hug. It made me feel a little better. He then let me go first to walk into the house. Unfortunately for me, I took two steps and fell back, right into Edward's waiting arms. His rock hard arms.

"Son of a-"

"Don't finish that!" Edward said, helping me steady myself. _Can I be sorry for being a human right now?_ I thought to him, laughing a little. _Falling into you guys hurts like a bitch_.

"Language," Edward chastised. They didn't like it when I swore.

"I can't get in trouble for my thoughts, that _your_ rule," I said, poking him and quickly regretting it. Edward just laughed and we walked inside.


	4. Exposed

EXPOSED

It was freezing. Properly, legitimately, freezing.

"I'm pretty sure my hair is frozen," I said, to no one in particular when I got out of the shower. I knew that someone heard me, but the only response I got was a fire being lit downstairs.

"Thanks," I called. Again, to whoever was listening. Emmett and Rosalie were doing…well, probably each other, and Alice and Jasper were by themselves in their room. My mom was making breakfast and dad had left for work before I got up. Edward was who knows where.

"You're welcome, little darlin'," Jasper yelled from downstairs, using his pet name for me.

I walked downstairs to find Edward walking through the front door with a conflicted look on his face.

"Tough night?" I asked him. I felt bad for him with all of this Bella drama.

"Something like that, don't worry yourself," he said, kissing me on the forehead. I made a face. _You know I don't like it when you do that, it makes me feel like I'm a small child._

"To me, you are a small child," Edward chuckled. I rolled my eyes and went to the kitchen. Apparently, Jasper was joining me for breakfast.

"Good morning, mom," I smiled, giving my mom a hug.

"Good morning, dear. I hope toast and eggs are okay?" She asked, hesitantly. She didn't eat herself, so she never knew what my appetite was like. When I was younger, this was a problem. Now, I learned to eat almost anything.

"It's fine," I said, smiling. Not many moms still made their kids breakfast at my age, so I appreciated her. I turned to Jasper.

"So, what's going on? You only eat breakfast with me when something is wrong," I told him, giving him a knowing glance. He shrugged.

"Am I not allowed to enjoy" he looked at my breakfast of toast and eggs and grimaced, "whatever that is with my little sister?"

"First of all, this is toast and eggs. Second of all, you called me 'little darlin'' this morning. There's something you all aren't telling me and you know it," I said.

"I wish I could tell you, but I don't know myself," Jasper responded sadly. Apparently the freaks of the house were keeping him out of the loop too.

"Is it Edward?" I asked him.

"Likely," he said, right before a huge tumble came from the staircase.

"Emmett!" My mom hissed from the kitchen. She could be scary when she wanted to be.

"Sorry, mom," Emmett said bashfully, although I barely heard it. Rosalie, Alice, and Edward all came down the staircase closely behind him.

"Are you almost ready?" Alice asked, looking a bit more gleeful than the last time I saw her.

"Yeah, let me just brush my teeth," I said, putting my dishes in the sink and running to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth quickly and my mom handed me my backpack.

"Have a good day," she smiled.

"You too!" I said to her before turning and going to the car. Like always, my siblings were already there and waiting for me.

"Slow poke," Emmett said jokingly from the backseat.

"Speed demon," I responded, causing Edward to roll his eyes.

After that, the car ride was pretty quiet. No one wanted to talk about school, especially the Bella girl. Alice was searching her visions, trying to figure out if anyone would die today. Jasper was looking at Alice, trying to figure out what she was hiding. Rosalie and Emmett were looking at each other, probably trying to figure out if they would get to sneak off and make out any time soon.

"That's disgusting," Edward said. I laughed a little.

"Sorry, bro, I'll try and keep my thoughts under control."

"That's all I ask. It's bad enough I see it in my rear view mirror," he grinned. I smiled. _That's my brother,_ I thought, hopefully. He smiled back.

We all left the car as soon as we got into the parking lot. Edward insisted on staying behind to see Bella arrive at school. Emmett and Rosalie were quick to disappear, and Jasper left with them, since Alice wanted to stay behind with Edward.

I started to walk towards the school when I heard Alice call behind me, "Careful, it's slippery Danielle!"

"Thanks!" I said, rolling my eyes. _My wonderful overprotective siblings._

Just as I was turning back around to start walking again, chaos broke out.

I heard Alice gasp, "No!" and I turned around, looking for wherever the danger was. That's when I saw it. Tyler Crowley's van headed straight for Bella Swan.

It was too quick to really see what had happened, but I knew three things: one, Bella certainly was not harmed, two, Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper looked pissed, and three, Edward had just exposed all of them to the human girl.

I ran over as fast as I could to see what the outcome had been. Sure enough, there was an Edward sized dent in Tyler Crowley's van, and Bella was on the ground. Edward was telling people that she hit her head. Within moments, my family was surrounding me, Jasper's hand on my back in a protective stance.

Adults started showing up and pushing us away. Eventually, it was Alice who told me to just go to class.

"Edward is going to the hospital to get checked out, and, well, check on Bella, but we are all going to class. Everything will be okay," she said, softly so that only I could hear. I felt Jasper's wave of calm wash over me. Things were going to be tense all around.

"Okay," I said hesitantly. The last thing I wanted to do was go to class, but I owed it to the secrecy of my family to go.

* * *

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. Everyone asked me about Edward and Bella, but most people understood why I didn't want to talk about it. I played it off as if I was just worried about my brother, when the reality was, I was so scared we were going to have to move again now.

My whole life, nothing was set in stone. From the time Carlisle and Esme adopted me when I was five years old, every few years we were moving again. I hadn't been in one school for more than three grades. I never worried about making friends or joining any clubs, because I knew that in the blink of an eye, I would have to leave. It felt easier to just not make those connections.

Then, we moved to Forks. I met Tyler and Mariana when I was in eighth grade, and they convinced me to join the school chorus. Mariana helped me get into dancing lessons at a local studio where I met Justin and Andrew. Andrew and I became dance partners and we hit it off right away. I started my freshman year of high school with five older siblings and a boyfriend who was a sophomore. I got into the A Capella group and had more friends than I ever dreamed of. I had humans.

Edward exposing us like this put all of that in jeopardy. When you live forever, a few years is not a lot of time. I, however, have only lived a fraction of the lives my siblings and parents have. A few years is everything to me. I age. I mature. Every time we move, it takes a piece away from me. It hurts. Now, I might have to go through all of that again, because Edward had to save Bella.

I was in the bathroom when Alice found me.

"Hey, girlie," she said, smiling sadly. "I see you've been having a rough day."

"Something like that. It's just so hard. I know it's hard for you guys, but it's exhausting for me. I don't want to have to leave it all behind again."

"We're not there yet," Alice said, surely. "I don't know what's going to happen right now – nothing is set yet – but I know we're not there."

"Thanks, Alice," I said.

"What can I do?" She asked, always wanting to fix me.

"I have chorus next, I'm sure they'll do enough," I smiled. She smiled too.

"They are good for you," she agreed and helped me get up off the floor. "Everything _will_ be okay," she said. "We always figure this stuff out, and we are always here for you."

"Thanks, Alice," I said, and gave her a hug. I truly loved my sister.

"How is everyone else?" I asked.

"Rosalie is angry, Emmett's trying to play peacekeeper, and Jasper is…well, you know how he gets. He's very protective of us," Alice's face dropped.

"What is he thinking?" I asked, shocked at how Alice's view changed of her husband.

"He just wants to protect us, but I'm not sure it's the right way to go," she said.

"What is he planning, Alice," I said, a little more harsh than before. "You don't need to keep things from me."

"You're not going to like it," Alice hesitated.

"I don't care." I responded.

"Jasper wants to remove Bella from our lives. He thinks she knows too much now. I keep trying to tell him that that's not necessary, but-"

"He wants to kill her?!" I asked, hysterically. "She's a _human_! She's a person! She _means_ something to people!" I yelled. Alice put her hand over my mouth.

"Shh…I know, that's why I didn't want to tell you. I know you're sensitive about this," she said, sadly. "I never should have told you that," she frowned.

"I appreciate you telling me," I spit out. "I'm going back to class."

"Danielle, I really don't think now is the best time, you're upset," Alice tried to block me.

"Alice, move," I told her, "Please, just move." She surrendered.

"I'm so sorry," Alice whispered and I walked out the bathroom door.


	5. Murder

MURDER

I had Andrew drop me off at my house. I know it was stupid, given the day's events, but I couldn't handle a car ride with them right now. Not when Edward could read my mind, Jasper could feel my emotions, and Alice could remember the conversation in perfect detail that we had earlier. Not when I had any and all privacy ripped away from me. I texted Emmett out of courtesy, rather than necessity. Alice would have seen my decision, and Emmett wouldn't push it.

"What's up with you today?" Andrew asked when we were in the car. "Is everything okay with your brother? I saw him back at school."

"If I wanted to talk about it, I would have ridden home with him." I snapped. "Can we talk about something else, please?" I nearly begged. _Anything_ to take my mind off of my impossible family.

"I think Fiona and Alex are gonna be a thing," he smiled. Oh Fiona. Fiona was Andrew's ex-girlfriend from middle school that he married in Kindergarten. Fiona and Andrew were like Tyler and I. Best friends, but not relationship material. Fiona and Alex would be perfect together.

"Do you think they'll go to prom together?" I asked him.

"Probably. They'll probably have Alex's dad get them a hotel room after too," he suggested. I rolled my eyes.

"Some things never change with Fiona." She may only be Junior in High School, but she certainly wasn't a virgin – with men _or_ women.

"She's a good person, Dani," Andrew said, pulling onto my street, "I got it this time," he said excitedly.

"My boy," I smiled and kissed him on the cheek. Andrew pulled into my driveway and put the car in park. I went to say goodbye, but he grabbed my hand.

"Look…I don't know what went down with you guys today, or what drama you're going through at home, but, that ring on your finger? It means that I'm there for you. Always. You're my girl and if you need anything, you just call. Okay?"

"Okay. I love you," I said, sadly. _I wish I could tell you everything._

"I love you too," he said. We kissed and then I left.

I walked inside to see my family all seated at the dining room table. Dad was already home and in his rightful spot at the head. Mom was beside him. Everyone else was seated in various locations at the table. Things looked bad.

Rosalie was talking when I walked in, but I didn't catch much of what she was saying. What I did overhear, however, was Edward hissing about her being an assassin.

"You too?" I asked, betrayed. Rosalie was another mother to me. She was my comforter. My sister. I couldn't believe that she would do this to someone.

"Danielle, please come sit down," Dad said, calmly. _I don't want to._ I thought to Edward. He nodded.

"This involves you, too," He said, turning to me. "I already apologized to the rest of the family, but I wanted to apologize to you as well. I never meant to put you in the position you're in. I am so very sorry."

"Thank you," I choked out. Jasper tried to get me to sit next to him, but that was the last thing I wanted. I took a seat next to my dad. All of my instincts were screaming to run away from here. _This is my family._ I told myself.

"You're scared of me," Jasper said, looking shocked and sad. Alice must have filled him in.

"I'm scared of everything right now," I said. "It is so easy for you all to dismiss Bella as just another human. You say 'getting rid of her' like it's some chore for you. It's not a chore. It is ending a life. A life that did nothing wrong. There is a reason why murder is illegal – it is wrong." I was crying by the end. The thought of my caring and loving family murdering Bella was a frightening reminder of the world that chose me.

"Danielle," my dad said seriously, looking into my eyes, "no one is going to kill anyone." He turned and looked at Rosalie.

"I know you mean well, Rosalie," I cringed, dad's arms tightened around me, "but, I'd very much like it for our family to be _worth_ protecting. The occasional…accident or lapse in control is a regrettable part of who we are. To murder a blameless child in cold blood is another thing entirely. I believe the risk she presents, whether she speaks her suspicions or not, is nothing to the greater risk. If we make exceptions to protect ourselves, we risk something much more important. We risk losing the essence of who we are."

Rosalie looked at me, and then spoke quietly, hoping I wouldn't hear, "It's just being responsible."

"It's being callous," my father replied. "Every life is precious," he said, smiling at me. I leaned my head on his shoulder. For once, the cold felt good on my face. Emmett said something in response to Rose, but I didn't catch it.

"The question," Dad continued, after a moment, "is whether or not we should move on."

"No," Rosalie moaned, and I was finally able to agree with her. "We just got settled. I don't want to start my sophomore year of high school again!" I rolled my eyes. _Try having to get a new social life again._ Edward smiled sadly at the thought, apologizing with his eyes. _Sorry, that wasn't meant for you_. He put his hand up in a _No Harm, No Foul_ way. We were good.

"You could keep your current age, of course," dad compromised.

"And have to move again that much sooner?" Rosalie scoffed. Dad shrugged.

"I like it here," I said, softly. "There isn't much sun, so you guys can be pretty much normal. It's the most public we've been my whole life. I have friends here," I added at the end.

"We don't have to decide right now," Dad said. "We can wait and see if it becomes necessary. Edward seems certain of the girl's silence."

"Bella," I said. "If we're going to be talking about her like this, her name is Bella."

"Bella, then," my dad smiled.

"Danielle, why don't you go upstairs and start your homework," Edward said suddenly. Something was wrong again.

"Why?" I asked. "What changed?" The fear came back.

"This conversation no longer includes you and it might upset you again," he said. My dad nodded, trusting Edward's judgement. I got out of my chair and went upstairs. I didn't go to my room though, I listened at the top.

"I won't let Alice live in danger," I heard Jasper say, "even a slight danger. You don't feel about anyone the way I feel about her, Edward, and you haven't lived through what I've lived through, you reading my memories or not. You don't understand."

"I'm not disputing that, Jasper, but I am telling you. You will not hurt Isabella Swan," Edward responded definitely. Jasper and Edward were so busy reading each other that neither knew that I was listening in.

"Jazz," Alice said. _Crap, I'm caught._

"Don't bother telling me that you can protect yourself, Alice. I already know that. I've still got to-"

"That's not what I was going to say," Alice said, calmly. "I was going to ask you for a favor. I know you love me. Thanks. But I would really appreciate if you didn't try to kill Bella. First of all, Edward's serious and I don't want you two fighting. It would put a damper on the mood of the house, and Danielle, _who by the way I know you're listening_ , would never forgive you. Secondly, she's my friend. Or, at least she's going to be."

"Alice," Jasper said, baffled.

"I'm going to love her someday, Jazz, just like we do Danielle. I'll be very put out with you if you don't let her be."

There was a silence before Alice spoke again. She must be having a vision due to Jasper's resolve.

"See? Bella's not going to say anything. There's nothing to worry about."

Feeling fairly confident that there wasn't going to be a civil war in my dining room tonight, I shut my door and started my homework.

A few moments later, I heard a crash from the dining room and Edward shouting. I wanted to run downstairs, but I knew that sometimes it was safer for me to mind my own business. I waited a few moments for someone to come up – they always did if there was an altercation, just in case – but no one did. Things must have calmed down, so I snuck back to the top of the stairs.

"No," I heard Edward stress. "I don't have to follow that course. I'll leave. I _will_ change the future." _No,_ I thought, _please don't leave again._

"You can try," Alice said, skeptical.

"Oh _come on_!" Emmett said, voicing the frustration of not knowing what was going on.

"Pay attention!" Rosalie hissed at him, "Alice sees him falling for a human! How classically Edward!" _Oh. My. God._

"What?!" Emmett said, shocked. "Is that what's been going on? Tough break, Edward," Emmett's laughter boomed through the house. Mom hissed at him to be quiet.

"It doesn't matter, she's listening," Edward groaned. "You can come down, if you'd like to join us again."

I went back down and sat next to Alice, who was smiling happily.

"Fall for a human?" My mom said, "For the girl he saved today? In _love_ with her?"

"What do you see, Alice? Exactly," Jasper demanded. Alice turned towards him.

"It all depends on whether he is strong enough or not. Either he'll kill her himself" – she glanced at me before glaring at Edward – "which would _really_ irritate me, Edward, not to mention what it would do to _you-_ "she faced Jasper again, "or she'll be one of us someday." I gasped. She had the same sentence as me.

"That's not going to happen!" Edward shouted and Alice put her arm around me. "Either one!"

"It all depends," Alice spoke again. "He may be just strong enough not to kill her – but it will be close. It will take an amazing amount of control. More even than Carlisle has. He may be _just_ strong enough…the only thing he's not strong enough to do is stay away from her. That's a lost cause," Alice ended.

The room was still. Everyone was in shock with Alice's words. Finally, Dad broke the silence.

"Well this…complicates things," he said. "I suppose the plans remain the same, though. We'll stay, and watch. Obviously, no one will…hurt the girl."

"No," Jasper said quietly, looking at me now for the first time. "I can agree to that." I softened a little and smiled at him gratefully. "If Alice only sees two ways-"

"No!" Edward forced out, "No!" and he ran out of the house. I backed into Alice.

"It's okay," she whispered to me. "He'll be back."

"I'm really glad you guys decided not to kill her," I said, to try and lighten the mood. I went over to hug Jasper. I needed it after today.

"The intention was never to hurt you," he said to me, showering me with love.

"Can we watch a movie?" I asked him. Unlike Emmett, who was never interested, and Edward, who always complained, Jasper was the perfect movie buddy.

"Did you finish your homework?" My mom asked. _Damn._

"No…" I said, turning.

"Go finish that and I'll be waiting for you when you're done," Jasper smiled.

"Are you hungry?" Mom asked. With all of tonight's events, I totally forgot about food. Now that I thought about it, I was _starving._

"Yeah, is there still Lasagna from last night?" Leftovers were quick and easy.

"In the fridge. I'll heat it up for you," Mom said. "Go get your homework and bring it downstairs."

Before I was done, Alice was already back downstairs with my homework.

"Here you go," she smiled, handing me my laptop and books.

"Stay out of my room," I stared pointedly at her. She laughed.

While I did my homework, Alice and Rosalie played with my hair, which was a little distracting, but they helped to keep me focused too. After what seemed like ages, I was finally done.

"Are you ladies good if I go play with Jazz now?" I asked them, hesitant to move if they weren't done yet.

"All set," Alice smiled, looking through pictures of the various hairstyles she perfected.

I went to the living room to see Jasper all set up.

"What movie are we watching?" I asked him.

"I was thinking _Pickup on South Street_. It's film noir style, but I think you'll like it," Jasper said.

"How did you even get that on DVD?" I asked him laughing. He smiled.

"You should know by now not to question me, little darlin'," he said, and we sat down on the couch, me laying my head on a pillow on his lap.

About an hour into the movie my mom and dad came in with popcorn to join us. The popcorn was for me, of course. Eventually Rosalie, Emmett, and Alice joined too. Everyone was there except for Edward.


	6. Choices

GIRL'S CHOICE

Edward came back.

Weeks passed, and life went on. The days were spent going to school and the nights were spent hanging out with my family. Most weekends, I went out with my friends.

Last Saturday night, Mariana, Fiona, Alex, Ronna, and I all went to "The Lodge" for dinner to talk about the upcoming Girl's Choice Dance. When I walked in, I saw Bella sitting there with her father. I tried to sneak by her - I had done well with not speaking with her so far - but Fiona and Alex, both Seniors, had already become her friends.

"Hey Bella!" Alex said, walking up to her table, "Hey Chief Swan," she added. The rest of us gave a chorus of hellos as well, and Bella's eyes locked onto mine. _Shit._

"Hey girls," Chief Swan said. He too, looked at me carefully. Getting a rare glimpse of one of the Cullens alone in public, I guess.

"Bella, why don't you come join us?" Fiona asked. "When you're done eating with your dad. You can get a drink or something. We are talking about the Girl's Choice dance and picking dates." Fiona smiled at the end.

"Yeah, we'll see," Bella faked. _You better not be planning on asking my brother_ , I snarled in my head.

"Have you met these other girls?" Alex asked, gesturing towards Mariana, Ronna, and I. I rolled my eyes.

"Alex, we should let her finish her dinner," I said politely. She waved me off.

"This is Danielle, she's a Cullen, but she's the normal one," Alex described me. Yes, I was the _normal_ Cullen in this town, which usually meant I was the one who took the brunt of the discriminatory force against my family. Many forgot I was a Cullen at all.

"I'm Mariana, I'm Angela's sister," Mariana said before things could get weird.

"And I'm Ronna, I'm the oldest in my family and a sophomore, so you've probably never heard of me," she smiled. Bella actually laughed at that one.

"You know what, I'm gonna finish eating and I'll catch up with you guys later," Bella said, clearly uncomfortable. We invaded her space.

"Sounds good!" I said, maybe a little too fast because Fiona hit me.

"Seriously, Bella, come by when you guys are done, we'll leave a seat open for you," Fiona said. She reminded me of Alice – very pushy.

We said goodbye to Bella and went to our own table. We got some dinner - which made me very happy because I wasn't the only one eating so there was zero judgement about my food choice – and started carving up the boys at Forks High School.

"So can we just assume you guys are bringing your boyfriends?" Alex asked, shoving a cheeseburger into her mouth. Fiona rolled her eyes.

"Classy," she said, handing her a napkin. Alex smiled.

"I'm bringing Andrew," I told them, nodding.

"I'm bringing Justin," Mariana confirmed as well.

"I'm going to ask Tyler," Ronna said, and I forgot that they weren't actually official yet. They are about as close as you can get to being a couple without actually being a couple.

"He'll say yes, he has to," I comforted her. _He has that stupid grin on his face every time he sees you_.

"Do we know who Mike's going with?" Alex asked.

"He wants Bella to ask him," I said quietly, "but I think Jessica is going to." At least, that's what Tyler thinks. He told me that Jessica has been extra nice these past few days.

"Damn," Alex said.

"Why don't you and Fiona just go together?" Mariana inquired. They made a face.

"It's not worth the looks," Fiona said, sadly. Forks was a small town with a lot of gossip. They were both single ladies looking for gentlemen in the eyes of the public.

"So you're trying to find a one-nighter?" Mariana laughed.

"Yup," Fiona said.

"What about the twins?" Ronna asked. Evan and Ethan were in our chorus class and were the usual male arm candy of choice for our lesbian ladies.

"They're just so talky!" Alex laughed. "They never shut up."

"But we get to hang out together," Fiona pointed out.

"I was just hoping for someone new," Alex pouted. "I don't like safe."

"I know you don't," Fiona smiled. _Evan and Ethan it is._ I said, knowing that they had made their decision.

I excused myself to the bathroom before the discussion could go anywhere else and checked my phone. Nothing.

"Hey, Danielle, right?" I turned to see none other than Bella Swan herself standing behind me.

"That's me," I said, sarcastically.

"So, who are you planning on taking to the Girl's Choice Dance?" She asked, trying to make conversation.

"My boyfriend, Andrew. He's in your biology class." I pointed.

"That's nice," she said.

"Do you know who you're asking?" I tossed back. _Do not say Edward._

"I don't know yet, I forgot there even was a dance. I probably won't go," Bella said. "I'm not the most coordinated person."

"I understand that," I laughed, "I might be alright on the dance floor, but I forget how to walk daily. My brothers make fun of me all the time."

"Speaking of your brothers," Bella said. "How is Edward? He doesn't talk much, does he?" _Shit_.

"He's just nervous," I said. _It was the truth_ , I thought. _Kind of._

"It's just, I finally think we're civil and then he continues to just barely talk to me. Does he regret saving me or something?" Bella asked. _Not at all_ , I thought.

"I don't think so, but maybe this is something you should talk to him about. We're siblings, but we're not that close," I lied.

"Yeah, you seem pretty different from the rest of them," Bella observed, prying. _Leave it alone, Bella,_ I warned her internally.

"I'm the youngest of six," I explained, hopefully well enough. "I need my space at school, because I sure don't get it at home. Speaking of which, the girls are still waiting for me so we can leave, so I guess I'll talk to you later," I said, ending the conversation.

"Okay," Bella said, disheartened. I think she wanted more dirt, but that was something she'd have to get from someone else.

The rest of the weekend went by in a blur. Mom made a nice breakfast for me Sunday morning and I got to sleep in late. I watched Emmett and Jasper play video games and I did some music stuff with Edward. Andrew got a new car that he insisted he drive me to school in on Monday, which I agreed to since I needed to get him alone to ask him to the dance.

Monday morning came and Alice and Rosalie would not leave it alone that Andrew was driving me to school.

"It's so cute!" Alice exclaimed, smiling. Rosalie nodded her head in agreement.

"First he gives you his ring and then he offers to drive you to school? You two are so great together."

"Just be careful," my dad said, handing me my jacket. "This is still Forks and the weather still isn't that great for driving."

"He's lived in Forks his entire life, I'm sure his parents prepared him," I said.

"If he tries to pull anything on you let me know and Jasper and I will rattle him up a bit," Emmett warned and I glared at him. Rosalie smacked him on the shoulder for me.

"You leave him alone," I pointed.

"We'll see," Jasper schemed. Alice followed Rosalie's path, giving Jasper an equal smack on the shoulder.

"Older brothers," she laughed.

"Speaking of older brothers," I said, "Where's Edward?"

"He's coming," Alice said, "lots of interesting things are happening today. Which reminds me…Andrew will be here in three, two-" a horn honked, interrupting her.

Andrew got out of his car – a 2002 Ford Focus that Rosalie rolled her eyes at – and walked to my front porch. Mom got up out of her seat and looked at everyone in an "act natural" way before opening the door.

"Hello, Andrew," she smiled, greeting him.

"Hello Mrs. Cullen," he said shyly, "I'm here to pick up Danielle?"

"Hey babe," I said, slithering past my parents and pecking him on the lips. I heard three sets of growls come from the house – one upstairs and two downstairs. Rosalie just smirked.

"Be safe and have a good day," my dad said. "Take care of my girl," he added to Andrew. The boys nodded in agreement.

"I will," Andrew promised, and we walked down to his car.

"So how long is it going to stay this nice?" I asked him, smiling. My boyfriend was known for being a slob.

"I give it a week," he agreed, smiling and pulled out of my driveway. Within five minutes, I saw Edward's Volvo right behind us. _Real casual_ , I thought, hoping he could hear me. A text that appeared on my phone moments later confirmed that thought.

"So the Girl's Choice Dance is coming up," I offered, smiling. "Would you be my number one?"

"Number one what?" He asked, confused at my wording.

"Choice, dummy," I said. He smiled.

"Well, I mean, I was hoping Fiona would ask me…" he trailed off and I hit him, making the car swerve. I looked back to see Edward's eyes widen. _We're good_ , I thought to him. _I really don't need a babysitter._

"I'm kidding," he said, laughing. "Of course I will be your number one choice. Is this a formal thing? Like tuxedo and everything?"

"Well, it isn't Prom, so maybe hold the tuxedo. It's the same thing as last year. Nice shirt, pants, tie – which, I swear to God if you wear another bow tie again I will be taking Edward instead of you," I threatened, then realized "Crap, I don't even have a dress yet." My eyes widened in horror.

"Relax babe, you've got time. Can I make a request, though, even though this is girl's choice?" He said.

"Yeah…" I said cautiously. I didn't want any trouble.

"I want you to wear my ring," he said seriously.

"I wouldn't dream of wearing anything else," I smiled. He was so sweet.

The rest of the day went by smoothly. I went to English, Algebra, Spanish, and Chorus. I saw Bella at lunch, which means she isn't dead yet, which means we don't need to move yet.

I told Andrew he didn't need to drop me off at my house – it was terribly out of the way and the gesture was kind, but it wasn't worth the extra half hour of driving for him. I watched him drive off and saw Emmett, who flagged me over.

"What is happening now?" I asked him, seeing that Alice, Rosalie, and Jasper were standing beside him. "Where's Edward?"

"He's causing trouble," Alice murmured. Jasper rubbed her back, relaxing her.

"He said to wait here," Emmett said, "but I think we can start walking to the car now."

"You're not riding home with Andrew?" Rosalie observed.

"It's out of the way for him, and pretty much anyone else who isn't us," I told her, "he wanted to, but I told him not to worry about it."

"That's too bad," Jasper said, mockingly. I rolled my eyes.

When we got to the car, Edward was literally rocking with laughter. I took my spot in the front seat, giving him a "what the heck?" look. _You're an idiot,_ I told him mentally.

"Let's go!" Rosalie hissed, getting impatient, "Stop being an idiot, if you _can_."

No one really spoke on the way home, and I just played with my phone. I knew we were close when Edward started driving faster. _I really don't like it when you do that_ , I told him, and he slowed down a little, but not by much.

"So do I get to talk to Bella now?" Alice asked, breaking the silence.

"No," Edward snapped back.

"Not fair! What am I waiting for?" Alice whined.

"I haven't decided anything, Alice," Edward said.

"Whatever, Edward," she said, and the conversation ended. A few minutes later, Edward spoke up again.

"What's the point in getting to know her?" he mumbled, "If I'm just going to kill her?"

"Edward!" I said. He shrugged.

"You have a point," Alice admitted.

"She's really nice," I added on. Everyone gave me a look. "What? We go to a school that has only about 300 kids. It's not like I'm never going to have a conversation with her."

"Stay away from Bella," Edward said to me sharply. _Okay,_ I backed down. It wasn't worth fighting with him.

Edward flew on a corner and screeched to a stop an inch from the back garage wall. I screamed a little. Edward was smiling and Emmett was laughing. I was hyperventilating.

"You really think I would hurt you?" Edward said, baffled.

"I _really_ hate it when you do that," I said and walked inside. _Human problems._

 **A/N:** So, I've been trying to update this every day, and so far so good! How do you guys like this story so far? I've noticed a lot of people are reading the first few chapters and then it dwindles down…any thoughts why? Feedback? Let me know! In the past, I've done the whole review thing where it's like "give me five reviews and I'll post again!" In reality, I just have a lot of spare time recently and Danielle's story has been in my head for a while now, so I'm just trying to get it out there. I'm just looking for honest feedback right now on what you all think. Thanks for reading!


	7. Sick

**A/N: Thanks for the feedback! Keep it up!**

SICK

I did not feel well. I knew something was off, but I couldn't really figure it out. My body was just weird some times.

I got up, took a nice hot shower, and threw on yoga pants and a sweatshirt. Alice was probably going to kill me, but I didn't care.

I walked downstairs and saw everyone waiting for me.

"A little slow today, pip squeak?" Emmett laughed.

"What are you wearing?" Alice asked. I didn't respond. She'd figure it out.

"Mom and Dad are hunting today so that they can spend tonight here with you while we go hunting," Rosalie said, taking my hair and putting it up in a bun. _Does it really bother you that much what I look like?_ I scoffed internally.

"Yes," Edward said, chuckling as he came down the stairs. "Come on, it's time to go," he said.

I got in the car and put my head on the window. The cold air felt good. I probably had a fever. I had a test today that I really couldn't miss, so I tried not to let on that I didn't feel well. I spent the time going over vocal parts in my head for chorus to keep my mind off of it. Edward kept sending me worried glances.

We got to the school and Edward just warned me, "If you truly don't feel well, just go to the nurse and tell her to have one of us drive you home," he said, putting his hand on my forehead. I shirked away from how cold his hand was, but he got enough of a feel to give me a wide eyed glare.

"How is school this important to you?" He scoffed. _I'll survive._ I told him, and pushed him aside and walked off. My backpack felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.

"You don't look so good, Dan," Tyler said, sitting in the seat next to me in English. I shook my head.

"I don't feel so good, Ty," I told him, "but I've got a Spanish test that I have to do, or I will be missing rehearsal time to make it up and that's not an option."

"That's insane, you look paler than Edward," he observed. _Maybe I did look as bad as I felt._

"I'll be fine," I told him, feigning a smile. He gave me a look.

I got to lunch and laughed a little at Edward, who was sitting at a table all by himself, talking to Bella. He saw me and looked over me with his eyes, making sure I was still okay. Truth was, I felt worse than I did this morning, but I didn't want to ruin his lunch date with Bella. I shot him a smile and thought, _You go broski!_ He smiled hesitantly.

I started to walk to my sibling's table when the ground started moving. I stopped walking, but the people around me didn't and the voices got farther away. Edward and Alice were getting up to walk over to me, but I could only focus on myself and my breathing. Andrew came up behind me, but it was too late. Everything went black.

* * *

The cafeteria was silent.

I felt a pair of cold hands on my head, a wet cloth on my forehead, a pair of hands taking my pulse, and another pair of warmer hands holding my free hand.

I woke up startled, trying to remember how to breathe. _You need to breathe_. I told myself, over and over again, but no matter how much air I got in, I felt like I needed more.

"Deep breaths, honey," I heard Edward say. _Hi_ , I told him. He rolled his eyes. Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper were also standing nearby.

"There's nobody here but us," Alice said from above me, trying to calm me.

"Do you know what happened?" The nurse asked me, and I couldn't even remember her name right now.

"I fainted, I think," I told her. She nodded.

"Has this ever happened before?" She asked.

"Twice, but once was when I was really little," I said, and felt the nausea build up. She looked to confirm with my siblings, who all nodded.

"I don't feel so good," I told her, and she looked at me.

"Nausea?" She asked, and I nodded before breaking out of Alice's gasp and throwing up…all over Andrew.

"Oh my God I am so sorry," I told him, nearly in tears now. He shook his head. Rosalie was already back with a bucket and she handed it to me. I was sitting up now, but I kept throwing up. Alice was rubbing my back and I could feel waves of calm coming from Jasper, but they weren't helping. I was horrified.

"Don't worry about it, babe," he told me, trying to fake a smile, but I knew he was disgusted.

"Andrew, I have some extra clothes in my office, go see what fits," the nurse told him, then turned to me, "Does anything else hurt? Your head?"

"No, I just fell on Andrew and then puked on him," I spat out. "Edward!" I said, realizing what had happened, "I ruined your lunch date!" He just laughed.

"We talked about what we needed to talk about," he said, running his hand over my forehead and down the side of my face – the vomit free side. "Don't you dare worry about that, right now." He helped me sit up and take my sweatshirt off. He folded it up so the vomit didn't go everywhere and put it on the ground.

"Alright, I think it's time we got you back to my office, do you think you're ready to stand up?" The nurse asked. I nodded. _Get me out of here_.

She wheeled me back to the main building and into her office. Of course, all my siblings followed me so it was like a freaking parade. Ms. Cope looked shocked when we all came in. Rosalie stopped to speak with her. Edward came with me, the rest stayed behind.

Edward helped me on to the cot and get my head down while the nurse took my blood pressure and pulse. Everything was back to normal except I still felt like shit. I needed water and a shower.

"Where's Andrew?" I asked her. I needed to apologize – again – to that boy. And offer to do his laundry.

"Ms. Cope told him to go back to class. I'm sure he'll be checking in on you later. You've already had some visitors." My eyes widened in horror. _No._

Rosalie came back into the nurse's office and grabbed my hand. "I talked it over with Ms. Cope, she said as long as Mrs. Bowen clears you, I am free to bring you home."

"How did you get stuck with that job?" She just winked and pointed to the nursing degree hanging on the wall when Mrs. Bowen, the name of the nameless nurse, wasn't looking. _Oh yeah, I forgot you had a medical degree._

"I'll go get the car," she smiled and walked out the side entrance, taking my sweatshirt with her.

"Are you okay to walk, or do you need the wheelchair?" Mrs. Bowen asked. I shook my head. No more extravagances.

"I have Rosalie, I'll be fine," I said, and just as I was finishing, I saw Ms. Cope holding the door open for Edward, who was holding a very limp and possibly unconscious Bella. I stood up – a little too quickly – and let Bella have the cot that I so desperately needed when I was in her state.

"What happened now?" Mrs. Bowen asked, getting out the same gear she had just put away for Bella.

"Just lie down for a moment, honey; it will pass," Mrs. Bowen said. "Danielle, you're free to go," she told me.

"I'll be home soon," Edward said comfortingly. I always wanted him when I was sick, I have since I was little.

"Two unconscious girls in one day," I chuckled. "New record."

"Go home and rest, Danielle," Edward said, rolling his eyes. _Thank you,_ I told him. He nodded subtly. I gave him a hug and then went to go find Rosalie.

"I'll get you some water when we get home," Rosalie promised. I laid my head against the window and nodded slightly. I still didn't feel good.

"If you feel like you're going to throw up, give me a heads up, okay?" She asked, feigning a smile. "I know I'm not Edward, but I'll take good care of you until he comes home. I am technically a doctor, too," she said, a little hurt that I would rather have Edward over her.

"It has nothing to do with a medical degree," I told her, finally fed up with her competitive attitude. "I don't have to tell him what I want," I confessed. "He just knows." Rosalie nodded in understanding.

We finally got home and she quickly set up a spot for me on the couch. She grabbed some water and the medical bag Dad keeps in the house. She started setting up the IV, but I didn't want it. I crossed my arms so she couldn't finish.

"Please don't be stubborn," Rosalie said, defeated. She knew this was a battle she wasn't going to win. I learned early on that they would only go as far as their control would allow them as far as I was concerned. If there was any chance they would hurt me with their strength, especially my siblings who were less sure of their level of control, they wouldn't risk it. Rosalie was one of those.

"No," I said, much like a toddler, and buried my face in the couch.

"I need to take your vitals, at the least," she said, "and then we are calling Mom and Dad."

I handed her my right arm. "No needles," I said, mumbling. "No needles," she agreed. I felt her take my blood pressure, pulse, and then I felt a sharp prick on my arm.

"Ow!" I cried, and the tears literally started flowing.

"Dani," Rosalie said, pulling me into a sitting position, careful of the arm that now had an IV in it. "What is going on with you?"

"I just want to sleep," I said, sadly.

"Okay, honey, okay," she said, running her fingers through my hair. "I'll call Mom and Dad," she said. I fell asleep moments later.

* * *

"Danielle, you have to get up," I hear my mom whisper later on. She was rubbing my back.

"Carlisle, she feels a bit warm," I heard her say to my dad. They must have come home early from their hunting trip.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled so low that if they weren't vampires, I'm not sure they would have understood what I was saying. Dad placed his hand on my forehead and frowned.

"Your fever is getting high again, I want to give you some more ibuprofen. I heard you were not being a very good patient for your sister," he said, giving me a look. I just shrunk back into the couch and closed my eyes.

I tried to fall back asleep, but he stroked my hair. "Not now, dear, you need to stay awake for a little while longer. You'll be able to go back to sleep soon, I promise." He smiled. He got some pills out of a container – some prescription he must have gotten filled for me, and gave them to me with a glass of water. While I was taking the pills, he took a look at my IV, making sure everything was okay.

"Rosalie, you did an excellent job," he admired, clearly proud of his daughter's work. He ran his fingers through my hair and kept one hand on my forehead. His cold hands felt good on my feverish body. I fell back asleep in moments.

* * *

"How is she?" I heard Edward ask, urgently. _When did you get home?_ I asked, finally glad that the mind reader was back. Dad was sitting on the other end of the couch, my feet were on his lap. Edward came and sat by my head.

"She's fine," Dad said. "Fever is high, but coming down. It's just the flu, she will recover. Rosalie set her up with fluids when she got home, so she should be well hydrated by now."

"Good," Edward said. I opened my eyes and sat up. Dad rubbed my legs through the blanket and Edward held my hand.

"What time is it?" I said, half asleep. I felt a little better, but not great.

"Almost four," Dad said. "Are you hungry? You haven't eaten all day…" He trailed off. With the fluids, it didn't matter as much, but I really should be eating something solid.

"I think crackers would be fine," I suggested. I just didn't want to throw up again.

"How about some soup as well?" He offered. I nodded, sitting up. It was time to move around a little.

I looked around the living room. Surprisingly, we weren't alone. Mom was in the kitchen making my pseudo-dinner, Jasper and Emmett were playing this weird multi-board chess game, Alice was using her laptop in between whispering Emmett's next moves to Jasper, and Rosalie was watching TV.

"Edward?" I asked him, and he turned to me.

"Yeah?" He said, getting ready to go move to get something for me.

"Can you play me something on the piano?" I loved hearing him play. He was so much better than I was.

"Decades of advantages," he told me, smiling. "Of course, but I'm not sure you'll be able to hear it with the TV on," he said, looking at Rosalie. She shrugged.

"Now that she's awake, I was thinking of going out to work on my BMW anyways," she said, looking at me. She passed me quickly, only stopping to pat me on the head on her way out.

"Thank you, Rosalie," I told her, in an apologetic tone. I felt bad about how I treated her earlier.

"No worries, I missed taking care of my baby sister," she smiled.

Moments later I heard the song that Edward wrote for me playing on the piano. I ate my crackers and soup, and when I finished – and didn't throw up – Dad took out my IV for me. I was able to go back to my room and rest a while. I took one of the best showers I had ever taken in my life. I put on some music and relaxed in my room while I caught up on my homework. Dad came in to check on me a few times, but my fever had all but disappeared and I felt a lot better now that I had slept, so he left me be.

I finally took some more medicine and fell asleep around midnight. Despite being sick, today ended up being a pretty good day.


	8. Sunshine

SUNSHINE

There are a few perks to living with vampires.

For one, they don't sleep at night. Well, they don't sleep _ever._ They have a lot of extra time to do various different things which, sometimes, means I get some extra time as well. All of my siblings' laundry happens at night, which means it is out of my way during the day time. My house is never a mess, because my siblings do various chores while I am sleeping. They get to learn and grow and get stuff done in the eight hours of my slumber, leaving the daytime hours for pure enjoyment.

Two, my youngest sibling, Emmett, was still changed 81 years ago. While he has not lived through as much as Jasper, and certainly not as much as Dad, he has still lived through eight decades of our country – much more than I have. This is nearly 100 years of knowledge that I get to use on a daily basis. All of my siblings are fluent in Spanish, know many different levels of math, can tell me anything about science, and were alive when most classics were written. This makes a homework a breeze as they are all willing to help with any challenge I am presented on the homework front. The only research I have to do is in my siblings' heads.

Three, everything is faster at my house. My family gets easily frustrated with my "human pace," as they call it, so many times, they just do things for me. Every time we move, or go on a trip, there is someone packing for me. Alice picks out my outfits every night while I'm sleeping because, well, she has the time and the desire. My mom does my laundry for me and makes my meals because again, she has the time and desire. If I leave something upstairs, I just ask and it is in my hands in seconds. If I'm tired, Emmett will carry me around the house on his back. When I was younger, this absolutely made me a spoiled brat. A lot of these behaviors stopped, just so I would grow up to be a normal person. As time went on and I understood more about my unique family situation, the favors came back and I was more appreciative of them.

Four, and arguably one of the most important, I am the only one who uses a bathroom for its intended purposes. Therefore, I get my own bathroom in my bedroom. I have a radio I can use to hide various noises for human functions and my own shower. Because there is little to no privacy in my house do to the increased senses of my family, we have specific privacy rules for me. If the radio is on, you wait. If my door is closed, you knock. Lastly, and specifically for my more talented siblings, I cannot be held accountable for my thoughts, feelings, or things I have not yet done. Sometimes they struggle with that last one.

Today was one of those days where the third perk came into play. My mom opened my curtains at about 3:00 PM and made me move downstairs to the couch so she could "de-sick" my room. She was going to wipe down everything – bedroom and bathroom, wash my sheets, and do my laundry. She told me to take my homework, bring it down stairs, and to not come back up until she told me it was okay. Rule number one about living with my mom: always do what she tells you.

Today was Friday, but I had to stay home because of my fever, which was nonexistent at this point. I hadn't thrown up again, thank God, but I still didn't eat much for breakfast. I woke up briefly when my dad went to work, but I fell asleep again around 11:00, and didn't wake up until my mom came in.

The bright side? It was actually bright outside.

Instead of moving to the couch, I poured myself a glass of water and headed outside. My entire life, I have been forced to live in places with weather that was not preferred by most humans. Alaska, where I lived before moving to Forks, was cold most of the time and Forks, where we have lived for the past two years, rains more than any other place in the US. Not good for someone who loves the sunshine.

Edward and Emmett would not be returning from school – they were starting their weekend early and going on a hiking/camping trip, which was really code for hunting. That means that Jasper would probably be alone with Alice most of the weekend and I would be stuck with Rosalie. _Maybe we'll go shopping_ , I thought to myself.

"Enjoying the sunshine?" My mother laughed, seeing my basking form. I turned to get a good look of her. I loved seeing my family in the sunlight. It was a rare reminder that as much as we were the same, we were different.

"Always," I smiled.

"When you were little, you would always try and escape outside when it was nice out," she said. "It seemed like we were finally figuring out how to live as a family of vampires in a human world when you came along and shook everything up."

"I didn't even realize, at first," I said, remembering. I barely even remembered my birth parents before that final night.

"Didn't realize what?" Mom asked.

"That you were different," I confessed. "You were just nice people who took me in. Carlisle was the first person I felt safe with after my parents died, and then, the rest of you kind of just took on your different roles in my life. I didn't think anything of it until…well, you know."

There were two times in my life I almost died. The first was the car accident that killed my birth mother. The second was when I was six years old. It was the first time I realized that the rules in my life were more than rules – they were necessities.

It was simple – I just fell down the stairs. Kids fall. They trip, they scrape their knee, things happen. Everyone was home, and I had become accustomed to roaming around the house. We lived in Chicago at the time, in Edward's old home. I was running to keep up with Emmett when I forgot about the old wooden stairs. I missed the first step and slid down the rest, hitting my head at the bottom. I hit my head on the corner of the railing and it started bleeding. I screamed, as any six year old would do, but it was not necessary.

If Jasper were home, I would have been dead. It was bad enough that Emmett turned on me before Rosalie could grab him and get him calmed down enough to leave the house. Edward left, Esme, and finally my dad was the only one left. I was terrified, because I didn't understand. I regressed into behaviors that I hadn't had since I was with him the hospital. If he left – I cried. I couldn't even be consoled by Esme. Edward couldn't get a read on me and Jasper couldn't get a hold of my emotions, either.

After a few nights of this, they finally sat down to speak with me. That's when they told me about who they were. About the rules that I would have to follow for the rest of my life. The "stories" I would have to tell people about the way my family lives.

"Yes, I remember that," she said, solemnly. It was hard for her to remember, too.

"I wouldn't change anything," I told her, seriously. "You know that, right?" It's true. My family is weird and we keep secrets, but it's the best family I've ever had, and there is more love than I could have ever asked for.

"Of course I do, sweetheart," she said. "I love you," she added.

"I love you too, mama," I said, and we hugged – my red skin combining with her diamond skin. It was bliss.


	9. Visitors

VISITORS

I didn't call Andrew until Saturday morning. He asked me how I was, and I offered to buy him a new shirt.

"Babe, don't worry about it," he said. "It's just a shirt. I'm glad you're feeling better."

"If you vomited on my shirt, no offence, but I would never wear it again," I told him, laughing at the memory. Now that a few days had passed, it was slightly amusing.

"You should have seen Tyler in chorus. He was a mess. Mariana wanted to go to your house after school, but I told them to back off. You did not look good, so I figured you needed your space. Plus, you know, with everything that has been happening with Bella and Edward, I figured a lot of it was just stress."

"What do you mean 'everything that's happening with Bella and Edward?'?" I asked him.

"You know, them being a thing?" He said.

"They're not a thing," I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"They talk a lot more than they used to, and he _was_ sitting with her before you passed out. Looks like it's becoming a thing," he said. "It wasn't that long ago that you moved from the Cullen table to come sit with me." I could practically hear him winking over the phone.

"Yeah, they're not a thing," I said, stubbornly. "He's just being nice to her," I told him.

"Yeah, okay," he said, clearly not believing me.

"So, when is our routine due?" I asked him. Andrew and I took a dance class at Forks High School and we were choreographing a routine together. The dance class is how we met when I was just a freshman. They partnered us together and we have been together ever since.

"A week from Friday. We have time. Not a lot, but we have time. Assuming, that is, you actually recover and show up to school this week." Andrew said.

"About that…" I knew the weather was going to be nice on Monday. I didn't know where I'd be, but I knew it wouldn't be at school. It was too hard to use our "camping" cover story if I was there when my siblings weren't. We found out quickly that it was easier if I just took a personal day and sunbathed outside.

"Camping?" He asked, knowingly. I smiled.

"Camping," I confirmed. He didn't know a lot, but he definitely paid attention. Sometimes, okay, a lot of the time, it was difficult keeping things straight with him.

"How are you even allowed to do that? My mom flips out when I miss school," he complained. "Your dad is a doctor, shouldn't education be important?"

"My siblings are smarter than everyone in the school combined," I bragged. "Just because I'm not up to par with them doesn't mean that they shouldn't be rewarded. It's family bonding time since there are so many of us." It wasn't a lie, really.

"Whatever. I still wish I could come with you some day," Andrew said sadly. _Me too_ , I thought. Maybe someday we would pull a camping trip together and he would be able to come. _It couldn't be nice out, though…_

"I know, it's just hard. We don't always plan things well enough in advanced. It's spur of the moment," I said. _Also true._

"Anyways, I should get going. I have an English paper due on Wednesday that I haven't started yet." Andrew said.

"I don't think anyone has started that paper yet," I laughed. I had heard about this dreaded English paper from many sources. "Edward included."

"He'll still get an A," Andrew said.

"I'm sure he will," I groaned. My wonderful perfect brother. "Enjoy working on your paper, I love you," I told him.

"I love you to, babe, I'm glad you're feeling better." He said, and hung up the phone. Almost exactly as that happened, Alice knocked on my door.

"Come in," I told her. I was sitting at my desk playing on my laptop. "What's up?" I asked her.

"Peter and Charlotte will be here Sunday night," she told me. Excellent.

"And that means…what, exactly?" I said. Usually when Peter and Charlotte came, it meant I had to take a trip. I wasn't allowed at the house when other vampires were here – house rules.

"It means you need to sleep over someone's house Sunday and Monday night. You won't be going camping, I'm sorry," she said.

"I can ask Fiona, her parents are never around," I said. Alice smiled.

"That will work," she told me, and left the room. She was weird like that.

I called Fiona and asked to sleep over, and, like Alice said, everything was fine. We decided that I would go over tomorrow morning and we would make a shopping day out of it. We were going to stay local, but we needed to find dresses for the dance and it was the perfect day.

"Mom, I'm going to sleep over Fiona's house tomorrow night and Monday while Peter and Charlotte are here, is that okay?" I asked, walking downstairs.

"That's fine, love," she said. She was looking over some blueprints for an addition in our home in Alaska. I wasn't super interested, but I watched her work while I ate a bowl of Ice Cream.

That night, Alice and I hung out and packed a bag for me over the weekend. She told me where all of the sales were going to be and what type of dresses I should wear.

"I swear, if you mess this up, I will pull you out of school and take you shopping myself," Alice warned me. I laughed.

"I think I can figure out what to wear, Alice," I told her, "I'm a big girl now." She smiled softly.

"I know," she said, making a phony frowny face. "I can't believe you are going to be seventeen soon."

I totally forgot about my birthday, which was two months away. I never had any big parties, but the family always did something special. Alice always planned it, of course.

We finished packing and Alice brought my bag downstairs for me before turning my light off and saying goodnight.

Sunday morning, I got up and my dad gave me a ride to Fiona's house.

"Alice said her parents weren't going to be around?" Dad asked me.

"Her mom is in Prague on a business trip and her Dad is doing some stock thing in New York until the middle of April," I explained. "She practically lives on her own, you know this."

"Please be careful, and if you see anything suspicious, you can always call," Dad warned. They never liked leaving me with humans when there were vampires around, but with the nice weather, it was necessary right now.

"I will," I said rolling my eyes. "I love you, have a good few days!" I called to him.

"I love you, be safe," he said to me before I ran up to Fiona's house. _Let the fun begin_ , I thought to myself before ringing her doorbell.


	10. Truth

TRUTH

The rest of the weekend was great.

I got a beautiful blue knee length dress for the dance, and Fiona got a long red empire dress that made her red hair stand out like flames. We talked about boys, girls, and everything in between, and really caught up with each other. On Monday, we went to school, I dodged questions about the whereabouts of my family, apologized to Andrew _again_ , and Fiona and I watched chick flicks and did our homework.

Then Tuesday happened.

It seemed like a normal day. The sun was still bright, so my siblings didn't go to school, but I went yesterday so it didn't seem normal to not go today. Plus, I had been with Fiona. I looked over at their empty table in the cafeteria, and saw Bella doing the same. She was sitting with Jessica, Lauren, Mike, Eric, Tyler, and Angela, but it was clear who she'd rather be with.

 _You are one strange creature,_ I thought, looking at her. Then, she started to walk over to me.

"Can I sit here?" She asked. _No_ , I thought, but said yes anyways.

"What's up?" I asked her, trying to be friendly.

"Where is everyone today?" She asked, and I knew she was referring to my brothers and sisters.

"Camping," I said, automatically.

"Why aren't you with them?" She asked.

"I slept over Fiona's instead. I was sick last week and I didn't feel up to camping, so they said I could stay with her."

"Oh, okay," she said, hesitant, but accepting. That's when the bell rang. I got lucky.

My dad picked me up from school – he was the one who had the tinted windows – and drove me home. He asked me the usual "How was school," questions and I gave him the usual answers.

"I talked to Bella a little bit," I confessed after a few moments of silence. He looked at me, astonished.

"Edward asked you not to," he said, sternly.

"Daddy, we go to the same school and they weren't there today. She's going to have questions and she hunts _me_ down for the answers because I'm the closest she can get to them! It's not my fault!"

"Relax, dear," he said, chuckling. "I'm sure you are innocent. You just need to be careful and let Edward make the moves."

"This isn't a chess game, Dad," I complained. Too much drama.

"But isn't it?" He contemplated, "Isn't all of our lives just a giant chess game?"

"Okay, Dad, stop right there. I haven't lived nearly enough lives to be able to follow you right now," I said, putting my hand up. Dad just laughed.

We pulled into the driveway and Alice was waiting at the door. She wanted to see the dress I had picked out. I showed her a picture since the real thing was still at Fiona's house.

"When are you going to get it?" She asked.

"Well, since we are getting ready at her house I thought I would just leave it there," I said, softly, knowing Alice wouldn't like that answer.

"Nonsense," she said. "We'll go pick it up tomorrow after school." I rolled my eyes.

"If you keep rolling your eyes like that, they'll stick inside your head," Jasper said, coming up behind Alice. I hugged him. I missed them over the weekend, even just for a little while.

"I was thinking we could go outside and play some human-football, if you're interested. Emmett already said he was in," Jasper offered. Alice gave him a look, but he just shrugged. The dubbed "human football" was very different from the games that Edward, Emmett, and Jasper played, but there was still risk involved for the said human.

"I'm in, just let me throw on some sweats," I told him and ran upstairs to change. I could hear Rosalie lecturing Emmett in their bedroom.

I ran back downstairs and outside to meet up with my brothers. We played for about three hours before my mom came outside and made me eat dinner and do my homework. I got a few scrapes and bruises that my dad wasn't happy about, but it was no big deal.

"Alice, what's wrong?" I heard Jasper ask as I was eating my Macaroni and Cheese. I turned and looked while the whole family crowded her in the living room.

"She knows," Alice whispered. Jasper growled.

"She knows what?" Dad asked.

"She knows who we are – that we're not human," she said. Jasper sent a wave of calm through the room.

"Are you sure she knows exactly?" Dad asked her, looking for clarification.

"Not yet, Edward is with her. He will explain to us when he gets home," she finalized. The prophecy was done.

* * *

It was very quiet until about 10:00 PM when Edward came home. I was having trouble sleeping.

"Carlisle is waiting for you in his study," I heard Alice say to Edward. That's when I heard my door open and Jasper came in.

"You need to relax and go to sleep," he said.

"I can't," I complained. He came and sat on my bed.

"Everything will be fine, you really have nothing to worry about," he comforted.

"It's bad enough one human knows about you guys. I know enough to know that, and now Bella knows and you said from day one that the most important rule is that humans never find out about you guys."

"It isn't always about the rules," Jasper said, looking at me knowingly. "We broke them with you," he pointed out. "Do you think that maybe you're jealous of her? Because you're not going to be the only one anymore?"

"He's gone so much now," I confessed, nearly in tears. "He used to play piano to get me to sleep, and now, he's always hunting, or watching _her_."

"It's going to be different, but it's going to be okay," Jasper said, and he started rubbing my back. "Is it dangerous? Yes, but Edward knows what he's doing. Alice knows what she's doing. He's also not the only one who loves you, you know."

"Of course I know that," I said. "I love all of you too, it's just hard when one of you isn't around. It's like something's missing. I don't want to lose him to her."

"Then we'll have to make her a part of us," I heard my mother say from the doorway. "Edward loves her, and he has never loved anyone like this before. You should be happy for him."

"Yeah, you'll get another sister if all of this works out," Alice said, also standing in the doorway.

"Thank God," I joked, and everyone laughed. I let out a yawn and Mom kicked everyone out.

"Time for the human to sleep," she said.

"Goodnight, Dani," Alice said, bouncing out.

"Go to sleep," Jasper said, patting me on the head and manipulating my emotions to make me more tired.

"Stop that," I said weakly, knowing what he was doing. He chuckled as he walked out the door. My mother stayed and watched me until I fell asleep, and all of my fears disappeared for a few short hours.

* * *

The next morning I woke up and returned to my normal morning routine. I was eating breakfast when Edward finally decided to make an appearance.

"Alice do you mind-" Edward started to ask her, but she finished for him.

"Rosalie will drive. She'll act pissed, but you know she'll enjoy the excuse to show off her car."

"Why can't Edward drive?" I asked, already guessing at the answer.

"I'm going to offer to take Bella to school," Edward told me nonchalantly. Of course it wasn't a big deal to _him_.

"I want to go with you," I said, much like a toddler.

"Dani…" Alice warned.

"No, Alice, it's not fair. It's not fair that he's giving up everything for her," I turned to Edward, "Remember me? Your sister? Who goes to bed between 9:00 and 10:00 and doesn't wake up again until 6:00? The human one? I never see you anymore because you spend every moment of my consciousness with her! It's not fair!" Edward looked shocked.

"Danielle, where did this come from?" Edward asked, coming towards me slowly. I started crying.

"You always told me I would be your number one human. That you would always be there for me. You haven't been here ever since you saved Bella from that stupid van." _I wish you just let it crush her_ , I thought, not catching myself.

"You don't mean that," Edward said, talking about my thoughts and not my words.

"I wish I didn't," I said, not making eye contact. Edward was getting frustrated.

"Things change, Danielle," he said sternly. "You can't throw a childish temper tantrum because you don't get your way."

"Edward," Jasper called from the hallway. Edward went to go talk to him. Alice stayed with me, but I finished eating in silence. A few moments later, Edward came back out and looked at me, no longer mad.

"You can come with me," Edward said, and went to go sit on the couch. My eyes widened. Alice just looked at me.

"He is going to want to talk to you, and you should really tell him the truth about how you've been feeling" she said, and fluttered off to find Jasper. I don't know what he said or what he told Edward, but it was going to be an interesting drive to Bella's house.


	11. Dance

DANCE

I walked outside after I finished my breakfast to meet Edward at the car. Alice was right, it wasn't a big deal, but I needed to be honest with Edward about how I was feeling about his relationship with Bella, before it destroyed my relationship with him.

"Hey," I said, stepping into the Volvo. He started the car and looked at me.

"Why did it take a volcanic explosion for you to talk to me?" He said, sad. He was trying to get a read on me, but it wasn't working. I didn't really know what to say.

"Because I didn't know how else to get you to stop and listen," I told him. For once, he was driving the speed limit, which I appreciated. "You are always so busy that I felt like I wasn't important enough for you anymore."

"Jasper said you were jealous…" Edward started.

"I am," I said, finally coming to terms with it. "It's all about balance, Edward, and you're not doing a very good job of it. If you're not with Bella, you're stalking her. If you're not stalking her, you're hunting. You are letting her consume you and all of your time. I'm not like the others, I don't get to spend time doing things with you at night. I don't see you at school. I'm not saying that I'm not happy for you, but I would like to hang out with you sometimes."

"Well, this is a start," Edward said. "You can drive with Bella and I to school, if you'd like."

"I also want one day a week where we do something together. I don't care if it's a jam session or a quick trip to McDonalds, I just want time with you. Alone." I clarified. This was working.

"Deal." He said, smiling. "Now was that so hard?"

"Not really," I said shyly. We pulled into Bella's driveway and waited for her to come out. As soon as she did, she stopped and noticed the car. The look of shock on her face said it all.

"You didn't tell her you were picking her up?!" I shouted at him, smacking him with my book. He shrugged and got out of the car. I tried to listen in on their conversation.

"Do you want to ride with me today?" Edward asked her. She looked so uncomfortable.

"Yes, thank you," she said slowly and climbed into my previously occupied front seat. She turned and saw me and jumped again.

"Hey Bella," I said casually.

"Hey Danielle," she said, still in awe of the whole thing.

"Have you two met?" Edward asked. Bella nodded.

"Yeah, once or twice through mutual friends," she explained. I shrugged, _she's not wrong._

"I brought a jacket for you," Edward said suddenly. I laughed in the back and Edward sent me a glare. "I didn't want you to get sick or something," he explained. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not quite that delicate," Bella said, but took the jacket anyways. It _was_ cold out today, now that the sun had run away again.

"So what, no twenty questions today?" Edward asked. "I'm sure my sister has some good input she could provide for you."

"Do my questions bother you?" Bella asked.

"Not as much as your reactions do," he said seriously, but still smiling. It was a smile that I had never seen before.

"Do I react badly?" Bella asked, trying to catch herself.

"No, that's the problem," Edward explains. "You take everything so coolly – it's unnatural. It makes me wonder what you are really thinking."

"I always tell you what I am really thinking," Bella defends.

"You edit," Edward accuses.

"Not much."

"Enough to drive me insane," I couldn't handle this anymore. _You're both driving me insane._ I thought at Edward. He chuckled.

"So if Edward and his family are vampires, what does that make you? You don't look like them," Bella said. _Observant._

"I'm the 'normal Cullen,' remember?" I chuckled. "There's a reason for that. I'm the human among the freaks." Edward gave me another look.

"I'm not as freaky as you, though. Edward can read my mind," I told her.

"So you're not Rosalie and Jasper's sister?" Bella asked, confusing our story with the truth.

"Not in that way, no. I was adopted by Carlisle and Esme when I was five. There was a car accident and Carlisle was hunting nearby. My mother died instantly, so they adopted me."

"And your dad?" Bella asked.

"He never cared enough to come find me. When Carlisle asked him to sign away his parental rights, there was no argument." _At least, that's what they all tell me,_ I added in my head.

"Wow, that's crazy. Did you always know about who they were?"

"At first, no, but when you're living with vampires the secrets don't last very long. You don't live with them and look how quickly you figured it out. There's more than one reason why we can't stay in one place for very long."

It was quiet after that until we pulled into the school parking lot. People were shocked to see Bella getting out of Edward's car, and I had to be cool with it and play the game too. I waved goodbye to them and went to stand by Andrew, who had his jaw on the ground.

"You want to pick your jaw up off the ground, my dear?" I asked him, jokingly, pecking him on the cheek. He kissed me back after a moment, but still couldn't take his eyes off of Bella and Edward.

"You know, I would really rather you look at me than my brother when you're kissing me," I said annoyingly.

"Sorry, babe I just…are they a thing now?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's headed that way."

"Unbelievable," he said in awe.

"Let's go inside – we've got chorus first today," I told him and pulled him inside. As we were walking in, I could see Rosalie's BMW pulling in. _Just when the Cullen Family couldn't get any weirder_ , I thought, and walked inside.

* * *

Lunch was awful. If people weren't talking about Bella and Edward, they were talking about Rosalie's BMW. If they weren't talking about the BMW, they were talking about the dance on Saturday night. I was lucky, I had my date, my dress, and my girls. A lot of other people were still panicking.

"Here's the plan," Fiona announced during lunch. "Boys are getting ready at Andrew's house, and ladies are getting ready at my place. I'll have lunch and everything all set. Around 5:00, the boys are going to come pick us up in their vehicles of choice and we'll hang out for about an hour and a half until it's time to come to the school."

"I don't want to be the first one here," I complained.

"Even if you are, we have a group of like, twenty people. It'll be fine," Alex said, siding with Fiona. They had decided to go together after all, which was nice.

"Are your siblings going?" Ronna asked me.

"I think Alice and Jasper are, but I'm not sure about Rosalie and Emmett. Edward definitely isn't going." He's going to Seattle with Bella, but I wasn't about to tell them that and then have to listen to it.

"He's probably not going because of Bella," Tyler said. "Mike said she was going to be in Seattle."

"Did he ever ask her out?" I wondered out loud. Tyler made a face.

"He did, that's when we found out she's going to Seattle for the weekend. Jessica asked him and he said yes to her instead. Ugh," Tyler pretended to throw up. He really didn't like her.

The bell rang and we said goodbye to each other.

* * *

Edward drove Bella home after school, so I rode home with the others. I had enough of them for one day.

"I'm not happy that you're not getting ready at our house," Alice complained. I rolled my eyes.

"The training wheels have to come off at some point, Alice," I said to her. Jasper laughed.

"Like that's ever going to happen," he said. Alice smacked him.

"You can do my hair before I go to Fiona's how about that?" I offered. Rosalie smiled, so I knew I had her roped in. Alice thought for a minute before agreeing.

"I can't wait to see you in your dress," she giggled.

"I'm sure you already have seen me in my dress," I glared.

"Oh I have, but it's so much better in real life," she said.

"You'll be beautiful," Rosalie said.

The week went by rather quickly after that. Andrew and I solidified our routine and got an A, so that put a lot of stress away. We had A Capella rehearsal Thursday after school, so Edward came to pick me up and we played piano together when we got home. He was going hunting with Alice tomorrow night and would then be with Bella all day Saturday, so this was the only time I would see him. I ate some ice cream, because it was finally semi-warm enough, and went to bed.

Friday came and passed, it wasn't really eventful. Edward and Alice left after lunch, and then the rest of us went home and we had a family game night since the two "cheaters" weren't in the house. We played Texas Hold 'Em, Rummy, and had a chess tournament (I lost quickly) before it was time for me to go to bed. I lasted until about 1:00 in the morning.

It was about 9:00 in the morning when Alice was waking me up.

"Rise and shine sleepy head!" She said, pulling my curtains open. I wished I had something to throw at her. "It's dance day!"

"Shit," I said, and I hear my mother yell something from somewhere else in the house. Whoops.

"This is what happens when I'm not home to make sure you go to bed on time," Alice said. She was already picking out my clothes.

"Can you please stop touching my stuff?" I asked her, finally getting out of bed.

"Go take a shower and then Rosalie and I are going to be waiting in my room to do your hair."

"I need food," I told her. She grimaced.

"Okay, I will bring you up some fruit," Alice declared.

"I need carbohydrates," I said.

"Fine. Go make your breakfast and then you better be up here by 10:30."

"Why do you need to do my hair so early? I'm not going over Fiona's until this afternoon. It'll get ruined."

"Not if I have anything to say about it. Shower!" she said, pushing me into my bathroom. I tripped over bump where the rug in my room met the tile and hit my head on the door panel.

"Ow!" I yelled. Alice looked at me with wide eyes.

"Oh my God, are you okay? Did I hurt you? What can I do?" Alice said, hovering.

"Just let me shower, I'll be fine," I said slowly. She nodded and left the room.

I got out of the shower and put my hair in a towel. I went downstairs to eat breakfast and Dad asked me about my head. It was fine, it just gave me a headache. No blood, no bruising, just a bump. I went back upstairs and let Rosalie and Alice do my hair.

They were doing some intricate bun thing that they saw on YouTube, and they were putting little gems in my hair as they went along. The whole thing took about three hours. Jasper kept coming in and out to get various things, but Alice never let him stay for very long.

"How you doing kiddo?" He asked, laughing. I just gave him the hand. I couldn't deal with it right now. He knew how I was doing.

When that torture was over, I was given very strict instructions to not mess anything up or Alice would make me pay in one way or another. I went downstairs, finally free, and asked my mom to drive me to Fiona's.

"You can come over around 5:00 if you want to take pictures," I told her. We would all be ready and the boys would be over by then. "Andrew's mom will definitely be there." Esme needed to be able to talk with Andrew's mom every once in a while so things seemed normal.

"Your father and I will be there at 5:00," she confirmed smiling.

* * *

"Isn't this beautiful," Andrew said smiling. I hadn't left his arms all night. It was bliss.

"It's a nice break from everything," I agreed. Alice and Jasper had come after all, probably so Alice could see my dress in person and so they could give me a ride home. Jasper had driven her here in Dad's car. Other than that, this event was family (and Bella) free.

"I'm assuming you don't want to talk about any of that?" Andrew asked.

"Absolutely not," I told him. "It would ruin the atmosphere," I laughed and twirled myself around Andrew before going in for a kiss.

"We should go back to my place after and we can 'Netflix and Chill,' if you know what I mean."

"Andrew, don't ruin it." I told him, knowing what he was asking for.

"How is that ruining it? We've been together for almost two years now, I love you," He said seriously, pulling me back so he can look at me.

"Andrew, look, I love you too, but I'm sixteen. I'm just not ready for what you want. If you want to make out, fine, let's go, but I can't give that other piece of myself to you yet. If you love me, you'll wait for me," I told him.

"What does being sixteen have to do with it? It's not like I'm going to knock you up. Plenty of people are going home and getting it on after tonight. We're in love, it's normal," he said so convincingly. I couldn't, though. I wasn't ready, and he had to understand that.

"I need you to listen to my words, Andrew. I'm not ready. If you are, then I am so very sorry, but this isn't something that I can rush myself into. I need you to wait for me. Give me time," I plead with him. I could tell he was upset.

"You know what, you're right, it's fine," he said and kissed me. He didn't look like he was fine, though. I had a feeling that this conversation wasn't over.


	12. Bella

BELLA

Edward was bringing Bella to our house today.

Our sacred building where vampires were the normal and humans had to adjust was being attacked by outsiders – more humans.

"I don't know why you're worried, you're a human too, you know," Jasper said, appearing in my doorway. _He_ was worried. Alice had been assuring him all morning that he wouldn't hurt Bella, but he had gone hunting when we got back from the dance just to be sure. He didn't want to take any risks.

"I'm not worried, I'm just…"

"Jealous?" Jasper suggested. "And now you're frustrated with me," he said. I gave him another look. "Okay, I'll stop now," he said, grinning.

"You're getting on my nerves," I told him. He went to say something else, but I stared him down until he got the hint and walked away. I threw my hair up in a messy bun and went downstairs. It was already 11:00, Bella and Edward would be here soon.

"They're here!" I heard Alice yell excitedly from downstairs. She grimaced when she saw what I was wearing. Even Mom made a face.

"What?" I said. "She already knows me, and I got like, five hours of sleep last night," I defended.

"And whose fault is that?" Rosalie remarked. _Andrew's_ , I thought, but they still didn't know about our…disagreement, and I wanted to keep it that way.

Edward let Bella into the house, and I saw her breath catch as she took it all in.

"Carlisle, Esme, this is Bella," Edward said, introducing his girlfriend.

"You're very welcome, Bella," Dad told her. He was cautious as he approached her.

"It's nice to see you again, Dr. Cullen," Bella said. Dad chuckled.

"Please, call me Carlisle," he said. Mom stepped forward.

"It's very nice to know you," she said.

"Thank you. I'm glad to meet you, too," Bella said.

"Hey Bella," I said from the couch and both my parents and Edward looked at me like I had ten heads. Bella just laughed.

"Hi Danielle," she said, comforted a little by the familiar face. Edward shook his head.

"Where are Alice and Jasper?" He asked, right before Alice made her grand entrance.

"Hey Edward!" She said before running down the stairs. "Hey, Bella!" She bent forward and kissed Bella on the cheek. Everyone was on edge now, good job, Alice.

"Wow, you do smell nice. I never noticed before," she said, as if to make things worse. My eyes widened.

"You can't say that to humans, Alice!" I groaned from my seat. She shrugged.

"Hello, Bella," Jasper said, finally introducing himself. He looked even more uncomfortable than she did.

"Hello, Jasper," Bella said shyly, and retreated into Edward. "It's nice to meet you all, you have a very beautiful home," she said, lightening the mood. She was so nice when she wasn't being nosy. Edward glared at that thought.

"Thank you," Mom said, "We're so glad that you came. Rosalie and Emmett are upstairs in the kitchen finishing lunch, I hope you're hungry," she added.

"She already ate," Edward groaned. A crash came from the kitchen. Mom's eyes flickered. Rosalie would be in trouble for that later.

"Does she really not like me that much?" Bella whispered to Edward, but of course we all hear it.

"Don't worry about Rosalie," I told her. "She'll warm up to you. She's just worried about the implications of you knowing who they all are."

"Danielle!" Mom hissed.

"What? It's true," I said, looking at Edward. "Did you even tell her what happens if this ends badly?" I didn't mean it in a bad way, but she needed to know.

"Badly as in…I become the meal," Bella said. Everyone chuckled nervously.

"If they can live with me for twelve years, they can learn to live with you. You'll be fine, just don't tell anyone anything," I said, trying to loosen everyone up again. Edward still looked pissed that I said that to Bella.

"Do you play?" Mom asked, seeing that Bella's attention had moved towards the piano.

"Not at all," Bella said, "but it's beautiful. Is it yours?"

"No," Mom laughed. "Edward didn't tell you he was musical?"

"No," Bella shook her head, "I should have known though. Edward can do everything, right?" I laughed at this one.

"I hope you haven't been showing off," Mom chastised, "It's rude."

"It's not just for me," Edward amended. "Dani plays too."

"Rarely," I said. "And I'm not surprised Edward has been showing off to you, Bella. He likes to be superior."

"Just a bit," Edward joked back.

"He's far too modest, actually," Bella defended him. _Don't turn on me now, Bella,_ I thought.

"Edward, you should play for her," Mom encouraged. Alice nodded.

"You just said showing off was rude," Edward objected. _Aw, Edward's being shy._ He turned and glared at me.

"There are exceptions for every rule," Mom told him, giving him the "mom look."

"I'd like to hear you play," Bella said. _There it is._

"It's settled then," Mom said, pushing Edward towards the piano. I sat back down on the couch with Alice, Jasper, Mom and Dad. Bella sat with Edward at the piano. As he played, people started leaving. Finally, Mom came back and got me and told me to give them some privacy. I rolled my eyes. _Edward doesn't give_ us _privacy,_ I thought.

I went back upstairs to my room and considered calling Andrew. Maybe he had cooled off from last night. Then again, I thought against it. If it did turn into a fight, I didn't want my family hearing it. I would wait and talk to him at school tomorrow.

Alice knocked on my door. "Can I come in?" I heard her ask.

"You've never asked before," I said to her.

"We've never had guests before," she said, coming in and sitting on my bed.

"What do you want, Alice?" I asked her. I was still holding my phone in my hand.

"I don't know what is going on between you and Andrew, but you know you can talk to me, right?" She said.

"I just…don't really know a lot of things right now, and would rather figure it out myself," I told her. It wasn't a lie.

"Okay, well, you can always talk to us and remember, I'm keeping my eye on you," she warned. "Anyways, the real reason I wanted to come talk to you is to tell you that there's going to be a thunderstorm later, and Emmett wants to play baseball. I already talked to Dad and he said you could come if you want. We're going to invite Bella too."

"It's a Sunday night, Alice," I told her.

"You don't have to come," she shrugged. This was cruel.

"You know I want to go," I told her. She looked into the future for a moment.

"Do the rest of your homework now and you'll be ready by the time we leave. Edward is going to take Bella in Emmett's jeep, you can go with them," she said.

"He'll end up carrying her. Who is going to come get me?" I asked her. I had been to their games before.

"Good point," she said, thinking. "Emmett or Jasper will give you a piggy back ride from the house instead. Rosalie, Carlisle, and I can handle the equipment."

"Jasper. Emmett will make me throw up," I told her. She agreed.

Baseball it is, then.


	13. Storms

STORMS

The baseball helped.

The first time there was a thunderstorm after my mom died, I freaked out. I hid under my bed and started crying. My parents tried to make me come out, but nothing worked. With every crash of thunder, my cries increased. Finally my dad told me that it was okay, it was just my brothers playing baseball. A few weeks later, I watched my first game.

From then on, even when I knew my brothers were _not_ playing baseball, I still thought of it that way. I grew up and I learned the real reasons for thunder, but I still thought of them playing baseball because it was a happy memory. It replaced the memory of my mother's death and made the thunder a little less scary.

Tonight was no different. I was on edge, and Jasper was telling me that I didn't need to go. That I could stay home. I told him there was no way I was staying home by myself in this weather. This storm was the worst I had seen in a while.

I had already put on my yoga pants, t shirt, and a rain jacket. Mom would have umbrellas for Bella and me in case the rain didn't die down.

"Are you almost ready to go? Everyone else is getting ready to leave," Jasper pointed out.

"Yeah, I just, need a minute," I told him. I sat down on my bed and a crash of thunder happened seemingly outside my window. I jumped. Jasper laughed and then saw my expression. I felt a wave of calm come towards me and his face softened.

"It's okay to miss your mom," he said out loud. It took me off guard.

"I wasn't even – I love – I didn't mean…" I tried to defend myself.

"Dani, relax. It's what you feel. Whether you realize it or not you associate the thunder with the loss of your birth mother. Your feelings for Esme don't change that. You had five years with her, it was a terrible loss. You're allowed to mourn her."

"It's been twelve years, Jazz. I shouldn't still feel this way every time there's a damn thunderstorm," I said, frustrated.

"You were in an awful car accident that killed three people. One being your mom. You were injured. It's called trauma. It's not just going to go away. You can try to replace that feeling with joy and baseball all you want, but it's not a cure. You are allowed to feel this and you should let yourself feel this."

"Okay," I said and gave Jasper a hug.

"Are you ready to go now?" Jasper asked?

"Yeah, thanks," I smiled and hopped on his back.

* * *

We arrived within minutes, but I didn't last that long after I got off of Jasper's back before I had to throw up in the woods. He tried to come help me, but I waved him off.

"It's motion sickness," I heard Dad say and he came up behind me. He was better with the gross stuff, being a doctor and all. "I'm actually wondering how Bella is going to handle it with Edward."

"She'll be fine. I'm just a wimp. I can't even handle Edward's driving half the time," I joked, coming out of the woods. Alice handed me a bottle of water.

"Thanks for the heads up," I glared at her. She shrugged.

"You'll be fine in a few minutes, just go sit down somewhere. Bella will be here soon." Jasper smirked and Dad gave me a pat on the back before going back to setting up. I took a seat on some rocks with Emmett, Rosalie, and Mom. The thunder was louder here, but I tried not to lose it in front of them.

We saw Edward and Bella walk onto the clearing and stood up.

"Was that you we heard, Edward?" Mom asked, walking towards them. _I didn't hear anything_.

"It sounded like a bear choking," Emmett clarified. _It must have been funny._

"That was him," Bella smiled.

"Bella was being unintentionally funny," Edward explained. Alice started running towards us.

"It's time!" She yelled. Thunder struck.

"Eerie, isn't it?" Emmett winked and I shivered. Jasper put his hand on my shoulder, calming me.

"Let's go!" Alice reached for Emmett's hand and they sped off towards the field.

"Are you ready for some ball?" Edward asked, eagerly. He was excited for Bella to see this part of him.

"Go team!" Bella said, trying to be enthusiastic.

"You'll be with my mom and me," I told Bella and grabbed her hand. Edward ran off towards the field.

"Shall we go down?" Esme asked, letting us lead. She kept a human pace.

"Do you guys play with them?" She asked.

"I certainly do not," I scoffed. No way.

"I prefer to referee – I like keeping them honest," Mom said.

"Do they like to cheat, then?" Bella asked, shocked. I laughed.

"Kindergartners cheat less than they do," I told her.

"You should hear the arguments they get into!" My mom joined in, then frowned. "Actually, I hope you don't, you would think they were raised by a pack of wolves."

"You sound like my mom," Bella laughed.

"Well, I do think of them as my children in most ways. I never could get over my mothering instincts – did Edward tell you I had lost a child?" I had heard this story once or twice before, but it wasn't one of my favorites. I didn't like hearing about how my family members died. I ran ahead to go grab some water. I didn't need to hear my mom's story again.

"All right!" I heard Mom yell. "Batter up!"

"Get ready for the MLB to look like a bunch of school girls," I whispered to Bella, who was standing beside me on the sidelines.

Alice stood straight and pitched the ball. Jasper, who was catcher, caught it within a second.

"Was that a strike?" Bella whispered.

"If they don't hit it, it's a strike," I told her. "No mercy," I smiled.

Soon, Emmett smacked the ball into the forest. Bella's eyes widened.

"I understand the need for the thunder," she said. "That's got to be a home run."

"Just wait," I told her. "Edward's _fast_."

"Out!" Mom cried. Bella looked shocked.

"What?" She said in disbelief.

"Emmett hits the hardest, but Edward runs the fastest."

I watched as Bella tried to keep up with watching the game. My eyes grew tired after a while. At one point during a break between innings, Edward came in to check on Bella. She complained that she could never watch the MLB games again, and that her new mission was to find one thing Edward couldn't do better than anyone else.

"Good luck with that. He has an ego for a reason," I told her.

"You two seem to be getting along well," Edward pointed out. I smiled.

"Bella's pretty cool," I told him. Bella smiled. If you had asked me a month ago if we'd be friends, I would have said "no way," but now, things were looking up for Bella and I.

Mom's voice brought me out of my trance.

"Alice?" She tensed.

"I didn't see – I couldn't tell," she whispered. Everyone was gathered by her. I tried to get closer, but I still couldn't hear much.

"What is it, Alice?" Carlisle asked.

"They were traveling much quicker than I thought. I can see I had the perspective wrong before," she murmured. _Who?_

"What changed?" Jasper hovered.

"They heard us playing, and it changed their path." Everyone's eyes flickered to Bella and I. Now, I was afraid.

"How soon?" Carlisle said, turning towards Edward.

"Less than five minutes. They're running – they want to play."

"Can you make it with Bella if Rosalie takes Danielle?" Carlisle asked Edward. They were both looking at us. The humans.

"No, not carrying – besides, the last thing we need is for them to catch the scent and start hunting them," He explained. I was terrified. I had never been around unknown vampires before.

"Dad," I said, shaking. Suddenly, Mom was right next to me, holding me tight.

"How many?" Emmett asked Alice.

"Three," she answered.

"Three!" He said as if it were no big deal, "Let them come."

"Don't be an idiot, Emmett," I spat out. Bella still looked confused. _Edward, she doesn't understand_ , I tried to tell him.

"Let's just continue the game," Dad said. "Alice said they were simply curious. Keep the girls close."

"I want to go home," I said. I didn't want to be here with Bella if a fight broke out.

"It'll be okay," Jasper said, sending a wave of calm across the family.

"You catch, Esme," Edward said, moving towards Bella. "I'll call it now." He moved right in front of Bella and I, and we huddled together. Both afraid of what was coming.

"Take your hair down," he ordered us. My hair was in a messy bun and Bella's was braided. We were both obedient.

"The others are coming now," Bella said. "Others like you."

"Yes, stay very still and keep quiet – both of you," Edward looked at me. "Don't move from my side, please." His voice was stressed.

"That won't help," Rosalie snarled. "I could smell her from across the field."

"I know," Edward said, frustration seeping through.

"Me too, Rose?" I asked her softly, and she nodded sadly, all animosity gone. "We aren't going to let anything happen to you.

Bella must have caught something with Edward that I didn't, because she asked him about what Mom asked him.

"Whether they were thirsty," he answered. I shuddered. I didn't like this.

"I'm sorry Bella," he said after a few moments of silence. "It was stupid, irresponsible, to expose you like this. I'm so sorry."

I sat there watching as the game died down and the members of my family looked to the tree line. They heard things that Bella and I couldn't. The thunder struck, but no baseball was being played.

My memories were flashing through my mind. Back to the verbal storm that caused my birth mother to pack up and leave my dad.

Back to the storm that caused the car accident that killed her.

Back to the storm inside myself of being a human in a vampire's world, never more prevalent than in this moment.

Then, the stormy sky bringing me back to my brother, who had his arm held out protectively in front of the girl he loved. Watching, knowing that if it came down to a fight and he had to choose between me and her, he would choose her.

I shivered at the thought.


	14. Selfish

SELFISH

They emerged one by one from the forest edge, ranging a dozen meters apart. The first one that came out, a man, fell back immediately, allowing the other man to take a lead. The third was a woman, whose bright red hair was her most prominent feature.

They _looked_ like predators.

I have met other vampires before. Peter, Charlotte, our cousins in Denali, and of course various friends of Carlisle. Never have they come unannounced, and never, _never_ have they looked the way these creatures looked. Where my family were the housecats, these were the tigers. Destined to kill.

The dark haired man stepped toward Carlisle, smiling. "We thought we heard a game," he announced. "I'm Laurent, these are Victoria and James."

"I'm Carlisle. This is my family, Emmett and Jasper, Rosalie and Danielle, Esme and Alice, Edward and Bella," he called us out in groups, making sure to not call attention to anyone individually. Bella and I were named separately.

"Do you have room for a few more players?" Laurent inquired.

"Actually, we were just finishing up. But we'd certainly be interested another time. Are you planning on staying in the area for long?"

"We're headed north, in fact, but we were curious to see who was in the neighborhood. We haven't run into any company in a long time."

"No, this region is usually empty except for us and the occasional visitor, like yourselves," Dad pointed out. His voice was calm, but it had an aggressive tone on it, one that I had never heard before.

"What's your hunting range?" Laurent asked casually. I wanted to cringe, but I didn't want to set them off.

"The Olympic Range here, up and down the Coast Ranges on occasion. We keep a permanent residence nearby. There's another permanent settlement like ours up near Denali."

"Permanent? How do you manage that?" He was curious.

"Why don't you come back to our home with us and we can talk comfortably? It's a rather long story." _Don't bring them to my home_ , I plead internally. There was too much evidence that I was a human.

"That sounds very interesting, and welcome. We've been on the hunt all the way down from Ontario, and we haven't had the chance to clean up in a while." _So now they want to use our showers?_

"Please don't take offense, but we'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from hunting in this immediate area. We have to stay inconspicuous, you understand," Carlisle explained. _Don't kill my friends_ , I translated.

"Of course. We certainly won't encroach on your territory. We just ate outside of Seattle, anyway," he laughed. Bella shivered and I thought to myself, _who is mourning for that person right now?_

"We'll show you the way if you'd like to run with us – Emmett and Alice, you can go with Edward, Bella, and Danielle to the Jeep," He added casually. Time to go home.

As we turned, Bella's scent must have spread. Edward stiffened and James turned around, eyes locked on Bella.

Suddenly, Bella and I were pushed back and the entire family was in front of us, ready to fight.

"What's this?" Laurent exclaimed.

"They're with us," Carlisle said sternly.

"You brought snacks?" James asked, smirking.

"I said, they're with us," Carlisle corrected, his voice hard and firm. I had never seen my father like this, and it was terrifying.

"But she's _human_ ," Laurent said, regarding Bella. "They both are."

"Yes," Emmett said.

"It appears we have a lot to learn about each other," Laurent soothed. He didn't want to fight today. He was their leader. We might survive this.

"Indeed," Carlisle's cool voice said.

"But we'd like to accept your invitation," Laurent's eyes flickered to where Bella and I were. "And, of course, we will not harm the girls. We won't hunt in your range, as I said." James looked agitated at Laurent's ruling. _Too bad, bloodsucker,_ I thought to him.

"We'll show you the way," Carlisle said. "Jasper, Rosalie, Esme?" He called. Jasper moved forward while Rosalie and Esme followed behind him. Alice rushed back to Bella and Edward while Emmett backed towards me, never taking his eyes of the threat.

"Let's go, Bella." Edward said. Let's go _Bella?_ It felt like a punch in the gut. I walked in front of Emmett so he could protect us from behind. Alice was guiding me through the woods as Edward guided Bella. Once we were into the trees, Edward slung Bella over his back, and Emmett picked me up.

We reached the Jeep and Bella and I were seated in the back. "Strap them in," Edward commanded Emmett.

Alice was in the passenger seat, checking the future, and Edward was beside her in seconds, starting the engine. Emmett hopped onto the roof of the Jeep on lookout.

"Where are we going," Bella asked suddenly. I was shocked at how capable of words she was. I knew I wasn't.

No one answered.

"Dammit Edward, where are you taking me?" She demanded. She was stronger than I thought.

"We have to get you both away from here – far away – now." He said urgently.

"Turn around!" She yelled. "You have to take me home!" She started to unbuckle her seat.

"Bella, stop," I told her, and held her hands.

"Edward, you can't do this!" she said.

"I have to, Bella, now please be quiet."

"I won't! You have to take me back – Charlie will call the FBI! They'll be all over your family – Carlisle and Esme! They'll have to leave, to hide forever!" Bella was hysterical.

"Calm down Bella," Edward said coldly. "We've been there before."

"Not while _I've_ been alive," I returned in an icy voice.

"For once, this isn't about you, Danielle," he hissed. _Nice, Edward_.

"Not over me, you don't," Bella flipped. "You're not ruining everything over me."

"Edward, pull over," Alice said, speaking up for the first time. Edward sped up. "Let's just talk this through. This is about Bella and Danielle."

"You don't understand," Edward hissed. "He's a tracker, Alice, did you _see_ that? He's a tracker!" I snuck a look at the speedometer, it said well over one hundred. I was going to throw up.

"Pull over, Edward," Alice said calmly. Reasonable. Edward sped up again.

"Do it, Edward." She ordered.

"Listen to me, Alice. I saw his mind. Tracking is his passion, his obsession – and he wants her, Alice – _her,_ specifically. Danielle wasn't even on his radar. He begins the hunt tonight." I almost sobbed in relief and terror all at the same time. I thought so many horrible things about Edward, and all of that time, it really _wasn't_ about me. I held Bella's hand a little tighter, truly understanding. It was all about Bella.

"He doesn't know where-"

"How long do you think it will take him to cross her scent in town? His plan was already set before the words were out of Laurent's mouth."

Bella took in a sharp breath. "Charlie! You can't leave him there! You can't leave him!" She thrashed again and I tried to calm her down, to no avail.

"She's right," Alice said. The car slowed slightly, but not by much. "Let's just look at our options for a minute."

The car slowed again and then suddenly stopped. Bella and I both flew and hit the seats. I unbuckled my harness and ran outside the car, promptly throwing up – again. Emmett was beside me in a second, but I waved him off. We were all used to this.

"There are no options," Edward hissed.

"I'm not leaving Charlie!" Bella yelled.

"We have to take her back," Emmett said to Edward.

"No," Edward opposed.

"He's no match for us, Edward. He won't be able to touch her," Emmett reasoned.

"He'll wait," Edward said, sure of the hunter's path.

"I can wait, too," Emmett challenged.

"You didn't see – you don't understand. Once he commits to a hunt, he's unshakable. We'd have to kill him. The female is with him too. If it turns into a fight, it won't be seven against one, it will be seven against three."

"Those seem like good odds," I said, re-joining the conversation. Edward glared.

"There's another option," Alice spoke up. Edward fumed.

"There – is – no – other – option!" Edward yelled. For the first time, I was afraid of him. I went back to sit in the car and put my head between my knees. I closed my eyes and wished I was anywhere but here. Bella was out talking to everyone else, I don't know how she wasn't freaking out. Or maybe she was and she was just good with weird, like Edward said.

After what felt like an hour, but was probably only a few minutes, I felt a cold hand touch my shoulder. I shirked away from it. Whomever it was got the message.

"Bella," I heard Edward's voice say, softly. "If you let anything happen to yourself – anything at all – I'm holding you personally responsible. Do you understand that?"

"Yes," she gulped. He turned to Alice.

"Can Jasper handle this?"

"Give him some credit, Edward. He's been doing very, very well, all things considered."

"Can _you_ handle this?" Alice snarled and a coiled even further into myself. I hated this. Edward murmured something else, but I didn't hear it.

"It's going to be okay, Dani," Alice said, softly.

"It's not," I murmured, and a few tears escaped.


	15. Escape

ESCAPE

We pulled up to Bella's house slowly and carefully. Everyone was on high alert.

"He's not here," I heard Edward say, "Let's go."

"Don't worry, Bella," Emmett said. "We'll take care of things here quickly."

"Alice, Emmett," Edward commanded. I felt cold hands trying to undo my harness. I tensed.

"We need to go, I'm sorry" Alice said, urgently, but with a sad tone. She knew how much this was hurting me. Emmett picked me up and swung me onto his back. He held onto me extra tight, because I couldn't bring myself to do much of anything.

* * *

"What's wrong with her?" I heard Dad say, urgently, pulling me out of Emmett's arms. He cradled me and tried to get answers, but I couldn't speak.

"I think she's in shock," He said. Dad ran his hand down the side of my face. I looked up and saw Laurent, and shrank back into Dad's embrace.

"This will all be over soon, my dear, it's okay. I know it is hard now, but it will be okay," he murmured. Alice brought me some water, and Dad made me drink.

"She threw up in the car," Alice pointed out.

"She's not sick, she's scared and overwhelmed. She's shutting down," Jasper said. "Give her to me, Carlisle. You need to be with Laurent," I was passed onto my big brother. Emmett and Alice left again to go get Bella. Jasper continued to hold me and attempted to calm me down while Dad spoke with Laurent.

Minutes later, Edward, Alice, and Bella burst into the room. Everyone was back on their feet.

"He's tracking us," Edward announced.

"I was afraid of that," Laurent said, unhappily.

Alice came and whispered something in Jasper's ear. He called for Rosalie to come over and passed me on to her. Edward waved her off and came and sat next to me on the couch.

"Danielle, I need you to listen and listen well," he said, sternly. "I know what you're thinking. I know you're scared, and I know you're overwhelmed. I am so sorry about that. I am so sorry that you have to go through all of this. You are being so brave, so very, very brave. You are my little sister, and I love you." He grabbed my hand.

"You are going to go with Alice, Jasper, and Bella to Phoenix. We've already made arrangements. They will keep you safe."

"I want to stay here," I said, at last. Edward let out a deep breath.

"If he finds you, he will kill you. He's playing the game to get to Bella, but he has no qualms with making it interesting. The only way to keep you safe is to keep you with Bella. If we can keep him from her, we can keep him from you."

Dad came back into the room with Laurent, and showed him out. Then, Dad came back over to where Edward and I were.

"How close?" He asked.

"About three miles out past the river; he's circling around to meet up with the female," Mom answered.

"So what's the plan?"

"We'll lead him off," Edward said, "and then Jasper and Alice will run the girls south."

"And then?"

"As soon as they are clear, we hunt him."

"I guess there's no other choice," Dad agreed.

"Esme, Rosalie, give Bella and Danielle your clothes. It will confuse their smell long enough to get them out." Edward turned to me, "Sorry, love, you're going to need to sit up."

Mom helped Bella while Rosalie helped me. "I don't think I'll fit…" Bella hesitated, but Mom didn't give her much of a choice. She pulled the clothes over her head and promptly dressed herself in Bella's clothes.

We went to the garage where everything had already been settled. Edward and Emmett were ready to leave, and Dad was handing something small to Mom. He handed the same item to Alice – a cell phone.

"Esme and Rosalie will be taking your truck, Bella," Dad said to her as he passed.

"Alice, Jasper – take the Mercedes. You'll need the dark tint in the south. Edward and I are taking the Jeep."

"Alice?" I asked tentatively. She looked at me quickly. "Will they take the bait?" Everything stopped while Alice looked into our futures.

"He'll track Carlisle and Edward. The woman will follow the truck. We should be able to leave after that." Her voice was certain.

"Let's go," Dad said, walking towards the kitchen. He came to me and made me look at him. "I will see you so very soon, Dani. You are my daughter and I love you. Everything will be okay." I believed him. Edward had a moment with Bella, then he looked at me and pointed to his head. Soon, they were gone.

There was silence, and then Mom's cellphone buzzed. She nodded to Rosalie. "Now," she said. She too came and hugged me, telling me everything would be alright. "Be safe," she told Bella.

We waited with Jasper and Alice. Finally, Alice's phone buzzed. "Edward says the woman is on Esme's trail. I'll get the car," she said and disappeared. Jasper stared at Bella.

"You're wrong, you know," he said quietly.

"What?" Bella gasped. She still wasn't used to the lack of privacy.

"I can feel what you're feeling now – and you _are_ worth it."

"I'm not," she mumbled. "If anything happens to them, to you guys, it will be for nothing."

"You're wrong," I said.

Alice came back and stepped towards Bella, holding her arms out. "May I?" She asked.

"You're the first one to ask permission," Bella smiled. She lifted Bella into her arms and they went out the door.

Jasper opened his mouth to say something, but I didn't want to hear it.

"Don't you dare tell me what I think you're going to tell me," I warned him. He just laughed and picked me up, running me to the car.

Bella didn't really look at me once we got in the car. "Is it always like this?" She asked at one point.

"Never," I responded.


	16. Waiting

WAITING

I woke up some time later in a hotel room. Bella was in the bed beside me, otherwise I would have guessed that we were kidnapped. Although, maybe we _did_ get kidnapped with everything that has been happening.

The ride was long and tough. I fell asleep a few times, but I don't think Bella fell asleep at all.

She did cry at one point, and that's when Alice ended up in the back seat with us. That, and the weather got significantly warmer. I was happy to see the sun.

I fell asleep again right before we hit Phoenix, and I didn't wake up until now.

"What time is it?" I asked, walking out to the main living area of the suite. Jasper and Alice smiled when they saw me awake. My eyes were red and puffy from the stress and tears of the past few days.

"A little after midnight," Alice said softly, so she didn't wake Bella. "Do you want to come lay down with us?"

"Sure. I guess there's nothing better to do than sleep right now," I mumbled. "How is everything going back home?" I added tentatively. Did I really want to know?

"So far, everything is going according to plan," she said.

"You'd tell me, right? If something doesn't go according to plan?" I challenged her.

"Of course," she said, and patted the space in between her and Jasper.

"Are you hungry?" He asked as I lay down.

"Not really," I said.

"You haven't eaten anything since before the baseball game," Alice pointed out. "You must be starving."

"I guess I could nibble on something," I said. Alice got up to find a place where we could order food at 12:30 in the morning.

We ended up ordering Pizza from some 24 hour pizza place. It wasn't bad, I just wasn't in the mood for eating. I was still kind of in shock from the past days.

"Bella's up, I'm going to go talk to her," Alice announced around 3:00, getting up and walking to our room. I still hadn't fallen back asleep after watching a movie with her and Jasper.

"Are you okay?" Jasper asked me. I hadn't realized I started crying again. I shook my head no. I wasn't okay. Nothing about this was okay.

"I know," Jasper said, pulling me up and rubbing my back. He tried to send me waves of different emotions to help me cope, but I shook my head.

"Please don't," I choked out. "I need this." And it was true. I blocked most of it out after the baseball game. I shut down after leaving home. I never really let myself feel anything.

"Then talk to me," Jasper bargained. " _Tell_ me what you're feeling."

"Scared. Hopeless. Homesick."

"Why those feelings?" Jasper asked.

"It has never been more prominent that I don't belong in this world. I heard Edward apologizing to Bella in the clearing and it's just, it's like nobody expected Bella to be put in this situation, but nobody apologized to me, and that makes it feel like you all expected me to get hunted at some point. That you expected me to be in danger like this, and don't care. Edward scared me with the way he was acting, but he just being a vampire." _You weren't meant to be housecats, you were created to be tigers_ , I added in my head, remembering how the strangers walked.

"You would have died," Jasper said, and I didn't really know what he was talking about anymore.

"What?" I asked him.

"You have always belonged in our world, Danielle. Since before you even met us."

"What do you mean?" I asked him. "I don't understand…"

"We were living in Chicago at the time. Think about it, who else do you know that comes from Chicago."

"But…I don't understand what Edward has to do with this."

"Edward's parents, Edward and Elizabeth, had another daughter. Edward had a younger sister. This sister was away nursing wounded soldiers while her family suffered and died. Her mother had sent her away once her father had contracted the plague and told her to never return until the illness was cleared. She grew older, got married, and had children. One of those children was Elizabeth, your grandmother. The one who you were going to visit when you were driving towards Chicago that night. Elizabeth had one child, Katherine, your mother. You are biologically related to Edward, Danielle."

"Edward was keeping tabs on me," I finally understood. Jasper nodded.

"When we moved to Chicago at the turn of the millennium, Edward had to find out which of his family was still alive due to our need to blend in. Elizabeth could have identified Edward in a picture, if she was really paying attention, so when he learned she was still alive, he had to find out what her story was. He learned that she had a daughter who was in an abusive relationship, and he wanted to check on her. He saw the way your father treated her, and he met you for the first time.

He asked Alice to keep tabs on you and your father, so that he could protect you if anything happened to you. One day, Alice saw that your mother was going to leave him, but on a terrible night. She saw your vehicle get attacked by a nomad passing through. She saw both you and your mother being killed by her."

He looked back at me "Danielle, I didn't mean to make you upset again," he said. I shook my head. I wanted to know more. I _had_ to know more.

"When Edward saw this, he told the family and we all went to the scene of the accident. Emmett, Edward, and I took care of the nomad while Carlisle tended to you and your mother. The intent was to save you both, but unfortunately, we were too late to save your mother. We kept telling you that the accident was because of the weather, but it wasn't. A vampire intentionally crashed your car as part of the hunt. Your mother was killed by her. I'm so sorry."

"Why did you keep me?" I asked. I wasn't capable of much else.

"It was only supposed to be for a little while – to figure out what you saw. If you had seen the vampire clearly, then we would have needed to explain it to you. To help you 'erase' that memory. Which, we did do. After that, though, we were supposed to turn you over to the state. In the few weeks you were with us, however, we all fell in love with you. You gave Carlisle and Esme the opportunity to have a child together. Even Rosalie treated you like you were her own daughter. Edward enjoyed seeing his family live through you. You created a new mood in our home. An excitement that wasn't there before. A new reason to exist."

"Did you know it would be like this? So dangerous?"

"We did. We knew it would be difficult, but we selfishly wanted it. We wanted _you_. We figured that anything else would be dealt with down the line, when you wanted us too."

It was silent for a few moments while I processed my thoughts.

"Dani, say something," Jasper said. He was anxious now.

"I don't really know what to say," I told him.

They knew. They knew all along that it would be impossible for me to fit in. They knew that there was a possibility for things like this to happen, and they still brought me into this world.

"I didn't ask for this," I said.

"No, you didn't. You're angry," Jasper pointed out.

"A little. It has just been so hard, you know. It's been so hard moving from place to place every few years. Picking up and starting over and just being expected to do the right thing. Now, this happens, and I'm part of a war I never asked to fight. I'm thinking of what would have happened if you had just given me back like you were supposed to. How different it would have been."

"I can help with that," Alice said, stepping out with Bella. "There's pizza in the fridge," she told her, then turned to me.

"When we were wondering what we should do with you, Edward asked me to look to see what your future would be like if we sent you to another home. We saw you with family after family. Moving from place to place. Never knowing love and never finding it for yourself. You were already five years old, Dani. You were traumatized. You had nightmares for years, even after living with us. You didn't speak to anyone who wasn't family until you were seven. We figured that if you were going to be moving around that much, you might as well stay with people who can show you love and raise you right."

"We were being selfish, but with good reason," Jasper said. "Look at how Edward is with Bella. When you first came into our lives, he was worse with you. He never would have allowed you to stay if it wasn't in _your_ best interest. He will always be your number one protector, as much as I hate to admit it."

"But he's been _so mean_ lately, I don't get it. Just because he gets frustrated and upset doesn't mean he can act that way."

"Part of it is Edward's personality. The other part is he knows you're okay," Alice said. "You have Dad and Emmett and Jasper and Mom and Rosalie now. They all love you and would put you first over anything. Bella doesn't have that yet. She hasn't been around long enough to know who to go to or who to trust. She only has Edward and me, really. When you are helping two struggling students in dance, who do you go to first? The one who is struggling, but can ask another friend, or the one who has no one?"

"Well, when you put it that way," I said. I guess I could forgive him. "I'm going to give him hell that he's actually my great uncle, or something like that, though," I said, trying to smile again. Alice and Jasper laughed.

"Please do," Alice said. Bella came and sat down with Pizza and we watched TV. Well, I watched TV. Bella watched Alice.

"What's wrong, Alice?" She asked.

"Nothing's wrong," she said.

"What do we do now?"

"We wait for Carlisle to call," she said.

"And should he have called by now?" Bella drilled. Alice looked at the cellphone on the table. _That's a yes_. I focused.

"What does that mean? That he hasn't called yet?" I asked her.

"It just means that they don't have anything to tell us," Alice calmed.

"Bella, you have nothing to worry about, you are completely safe here," Jasper soothed.

"I know that," Bella snapped.

"Then why are you frightened?" Jasper asked, confused.

"You heard what Laurent said, he said James was lethal. What if something goes wrong, and they get separated? If something happens to any of them, Carlisle, Emmett….Edward…if that wild female hurts Esme…how could I live with myself when it's my fault? None of you should be risking your lives for me-"

"Bella, Bella stop," Jasper interrupted. "You're worrying about all the wrong things, Bella. Trust me on this – none of us are in jeopardy. You are under too much strain as it is; don't add to it with wholly unnecessary worries. Listen to me! Our family is strong. Our only fear is losing you."

"But why should I-"

I interrupted her this time. "It's almost been a century that Edward's been alone. Now he's found you. You can't see the changes that we see, that _I_ see, having been the only human girl in his life thus far. Do you think any of us want to look into his eyes for the next hundred years if he loses you?"

Bella sighed in defeat. It was the start to a very long day.

We had to stay in the room. No one comes in and no one goes out. Every few hours we ordered room service for us humans, but honestly, that was the most exciting part of the day. I played cards with Jasper and Bella paced. We watched a bunch of movies and eventually, Bella went back to bed. Jasper and I were now playing chess and Alice was watching. Well, kind of.

"Alice?" Bella called. Alice left the main area and went to Bella's room.

"What are they talking about?" I asked Jasper.

"What the rest of the family is doing right now," Jasper answered.

"What _are_ they doing?" I asked him. I had been having a mental breakdown when this was all previously discussed.

"Carlisle and Edward led the tracker north and the plan is to try and ambush him. Esme and Rosalie are headed west as long as the female continues to follow them. If she leaves, they will go back to protect Charlie."

"So why haven't they called?"

"It means that the tracker is close enough that they don't want him to overhear. Same with Esme. Everyone is being cautious."

"Do you think they're all safe?" I asked.

"Of course," Jasper said, smiling. "Check," he added. I fixed my king. The game was silent after that.

Suddenly, Jasper leapt up and rushed to the doorway. I followed him quickly. Bella was standing behind Alice with a panicked look on her face.

"What do you see?" Jasper asked. Bella leaned in a little more, trying to hear what they were talking about.

"I see a room. It's long, and there are mirrors everywhere. The floor is wooden. He's in the room, and he's waiting. There's gold…a gold stripe across the mirrors."

"Where is the room?" Jasper pressed.

"I don't know. Something is missing – another decision hasn't been made yet." Bella looked at me. We were both asking the same question. _What does that mean?_

"How much time?" I asked.

"It's soon. He'll be in the mirror room today, or maybe tomorrow. It all depends. He's waiting for something, and he's in the dark now."

"What is he doing?" Jasper asked, calm and methodical.

"He's watching TV…no, he's running a VCR, in the dark, in another place."

"Can you see where he is?" I asked.

"No, it's too dark."

"And the mirror room, what else is there?" Jasper continued.

"Just the mirrors, and the gold. It's a band, around the room. And there's a black table with a big stereo, and a TV. He's touching the VCR there, but he doesn't watch the way he does in the dark room. This is the room where he waits." Her eyes focused on Jasper's face.

"There's nothing else?" He asked. Alice just shook her head.

"So what does it mean?" Bella asked. No one said anything for a few moments. Finally, Jasper spoke up.

"It means the tracker's plans have changed. He's made a decision that will lead him to the mirror room, and the dark room."

"But we don't know where those rooms are?" Bella clarified.

"No," Jasper confirmed.

"But we do know that he won't be in the mountains north of Washington, being hunted. He'll elude them," Alice bleakly noted.

"Should we call?" Bella asked. Jasper and Alice considered it for a moment, but the decision had already been made by someone else. Alice's phone started ringing, and Alice was across the room before I recognized the sound.

"Carlisle," she breathed. _Dad's okay_ , I told myself.

"Yes," she said, glancing at Bella. "I just saw him. Whatever made him get on that lane…it was leading him to those rooms. Yes. Bella?" She turned and handed her the phone.

"Am I going to get a chance to talk to him?" I asked her. She nodded. As soon as Bella was done, she handed the phone to me.

"Daddy," I said, and a voice answered back that I wasn't expecting.

"He needs to focus on driving," It was Edward. "We're going to find him, Dani. Take care of yourself. I love you, we all do."

"I love you too," I said, with more emotion than I intended. He couldn't read my thoughts from here. He didn't know that I knew what he knew about me. The phone went dead and I went to bring the phone back to Alice.

"It's a ballet studio," I heard Bella say. I looked over to see a sketch of the rooms Alice had been describing prior.

"Do you know this room?" Jasper asked her, surprised she could identify it.

"It looks like a place I used to go for dance lessons – when I was eight or nine. It was shaped just the same." Bella started touching the paper, identifying different places. "That's where the bathrooms were – the doors were through the other dance floor. But the stereo was here." She pointed to a corner. "It was older, and there wasn't a TV. There was a window in the waiting room – you would see the room from this perspective if you looked through it." We were all looking at her in absolute shock.

"Are you sure it's the same room?" Jasper asked clearly.

"No, not at all," Bella stammered. "I suppose most dance studios would look the same – the mirrors, the bar…It's just the shape that looks familiar."

"Would you have any reason to go there now?" Alice asked, nervously.

"No, I haven't been there in almost ten years. I was a terrible dancer – they always put me in the back for recitals." I laughed at the irony.

"So there's no way it could be connected with you?" Alice asked intently, ignoring my outburst.

"No, I don't even think the same person owns it. I'm sure it's just another dance studio somewhere."

"Where was the studio you went to?" Jasper asked.

"It was just around the corner from my mom's house. I used to walk there after school…" Bella said. So she _could_ be connected to there.

"Here in Phoenix, then?" Jasper asked. To anyone else he would have sounded casual, but I could hear the urgency.

"Yes," Bella whispered, catching on "58th and Cactus."

There was silence for a few minutes before Bella asked to use the phone to call her mom. She finally realized where the danger was. She went back into the room after Alice and Jasper gave her strict instructions to not disclose her location and that was it.

I sat back down on the couch and waited. The danger wasn't with Dad, or Edward. It wasn't with anyone in Forks. It wasn't with Mom or Rosalie. The danger was here. The one who wanted to kill Bella was here. We were the ones who were in danger. We were just waiting for the tiger to strike.


	17. Gone

GONE

I don't remember when I fell asleep.

I don't even remember _where_ I fell asleep.

All I know is I woke up in my bed some time later, and Bella was already up and talking to Alice and Jasper.

Alice was drawing something on the table, and Bella corrected her.

"The phone goes there," she said. "That's my mother's house."

Alice quickly dialed a number, _probably Edward_ , and Jasper moved closer to Bella. He was using his talent to calm her. He put his hand on her shoulder.

"Bella," Alice said urgently, "Bella, Edward is coming to get you. He and Emmett and Carlisle are going to take you somewhere, to hide for a little while."

"Edward is coming?" Bella said excitedly.

"Where am I going? What's everyone else doing?" I asked, a little selfishly.

"You're going to go with Edward, Emmett, and Carlisle to the airport and then fly to Denali," Alice admitted. "The girls are going to be so excited to see you. You'll be safe there. Jasper and I will stay here until the tracker is gone. Rosalie and Esme will remain in Forks."

"I can't win, Alice," Bella said, defeated after hearing this plan. "You can't guard everyone I love forever! Don't you see what he's doing? He'll find someone. He'll hurt someone I love…Alice, I can't-"

"We'll catch him, Bella," Alice assured her.

"And what if you get hurt? Or – God forbid – Danielle? Do you think that's okay with me? Do you think it's only my human family he can hurt me with?" Bella was freaking out. Alice looked at Jasper and Bella started to get lethargic.

"I don't want to go to sleep!" She yelled, and went back into our room, slamming the door.

"Good morning," I said to Alice and Jasper, who both looked defeated. They didn't like being split up from the family any more than Bella like us all being split up.

"Good morning, are you hungry?" Alice asked. I shook my head.

"I'm really not, but I'll cut up an apple to get some sugars in." I told her. She nodded in thanks.

"Bella's falling apart, isn't she?" I asked Jasper. He nodded.

"She's been holding it all in for so long…" He said.

"She has a right to be worried," I said. "I don't like everyone being so spread thin either. We have so many friends and family there. I can see why she's worried."

"We will catch him," Jasper said. "I promise."

A few hours later the phone rang. Alice answered and then whispered something to Jasper. He went downstairs. My only guess would be that we were getting ready to leave. Alice was talking much too fast for me to understand.

Bella finally came out of her room after a few moments, an ashamed look on her face. "It's okay," I told her. "I have plenty of mental breakdowns. They're used to it," I smiled. It didn't help much.

Alice hung up the phone and turned to us. "They're just boarding their plane. They'll land at 9:45."

"Where's Jasper?" Bella asked. This was the first time Jasper had left the room since we got here.

"He's checking out," Alice answered, casually.

"You're not staying here?" Bella asked.

"No, we're relocating closer to your mother's house," she said. _Makes sense._

A few minutes later, the phone rang again. Alice looked surprised and confused at the same time. This wasn't someone in our family.

"Hello?" She answered, "No, she's right here." Alice mouthed something to Bella before giving her the phone.

"Hello?" Bella answered. Alice and I watched intensely.

"Calm down, Mom," She said. I laughed. I had my fair share of telling my mom to calm down.

Suddenly, Bella's body language changed profusely.

"No, Mom, stay where you are," she said, softly. I looked at Alice and she just nodded. "Mom, please listen to me," she said, walking into the other room.

"That was weird," I told Alice. Alice nodded again. "Did you already pack my stuff?" I asked her.

"No, I didn't," she said. "You'll need to do that as soon as Bella is off the phone."

"I miss everyone," I said, a little sad that I was getting sent away to Denali, even if I understood why.

"I know, honey, this will all be over soon, I hope," Alice said, pausing whatever she was packing to give me a hug and a smile. I appreciated that.

"My mom was just worried, she wanted to come home," Bella said. "But it's okay, I convinced her to stay in Florida."

"We'll make sure she's fine, Bella," Alice assured her. Bella turned to look at some stationary.

"Alice," Bella said. "If I write a letter for my mother, will you give it to her? Leave it at the house, I mean," Bella corrected. Alice nodded.

"Sure, Bella," Alice said, carefully. Bella did not look good. She went back into the bedroom to write her letter.

"Something's wrong," I told Alice.

"I know, but I can't see what," Alice said. "There's still a decision that hasn't been made, yet, making everything fuzzy."

"It's not me, I promise," I defended, laughing. Alice cracked a smile.

"Go pack, you goof," She said, and continued on tidying up the main living space.

* * *

"Alice?" I heard Bella call from the main living space. I rushed outside to see her hovered over the desk, nearly breaking it with her hands.

"Alice!" Jasper rushed in, grabbing her hands from the desk and replacing it with his. "What is it?" He demanded.

"Bella," Alice said. Bella's eyes widened.

"I'm right here," she said, stepping closer.

"What did you see?" I asked her. She didn't _want_ Bella, she _saw_ Bella.

There was a moment of emotional chaos, with Jasper looking back and forth and Alice trying to regain herself. I was outright panicked and Bella looked like a child who just got their hand caught in a cookie jar. That's when it hit me.

Bella was the one who hadn't made a decision yet, but that decision was just made.

Finally, a calm state tranquilized the room. Everyone was fine again.

"Nothing, really," Alice finally answered, almost convincingly. "Just the same room as before."

She looked at Bella and then back at me, "Would you ladies like some breakfast?"

"I'm okay," I said at the same time Bella said she'd eat at the airport. Neither of us had an appetite right now.

"Dani, did you finish packing?" Alice asked me. I nodded.

"The bags are on the beds," I answered.

* * *

We left by 7:00 AM, so no wonder I was still tired. Bella and I sat in the back of the Mercedes while Alice and Jasper sat up front. Alice was leaning against the door, facing Jasper. Jasper kept glancing between her and the road. Alice kept glancing between her visions and Bella.

"Alice?" Bella asked.

"Yes?" Alice hesitated.

"How does it work, the things that you see? Edward said it wasn't definite…that things change?"

"Yes, things change," Alice said, "Some things are more certain than others, like the weather. People are harder. I only see the course they're on while they're on it. Once they change their minds – make a decision – no matter how small, the whole future shifts."

"So you couldn't see James in Phoenix until he decided to come here," Bella stated. Alice nodded.

Within minutes we arrived at the airport. The plane was landing in terminal four, which apparently was the largest terminal.

"Stay close so you don't get lost," Jasper warned me.

"Walk slow so I can keep up," I responded. Jasper smirked. I smiled.

We got to the terminal and waited, some more patient than others. There were people everywhere, and it made me anxious. Instead of hanging out near Jasper, I ended up practically holding his hand. He was calming me, but he needed to be focused.

At one point, Bella slipped something out of her bag and put it on top of Alice's. "My letter," she said.

I kept looking at Bella, knowing that she was planning something. I had spent my entire life trying to evade Alice's visions, watching others in my family evade them, and I knew what it looked like. Bella was messing with Alice, because whatever she was planning was something she knew the family wouldn't approve of.

"I'm ready to eat now," Bella said suddenly when Edward's plane was about to land. It was annoying for me, so I couldn't imagine how Alice felt right now. Even so, she stood up and offered to go with Bella.

"Actually, do you mind if Jasper comes instead? I'm feeling a little…" _A little like I'm about to fuck with this family_ , I thought to myself.

Alice was confused, but nodded anyways.

"Can I go too?" I asked. If Bella was going to mess up my family's plans with some Kamikaze mission, I was going to confront her about it.

"Come on," Jasper said. He hurried us to the food court, but Bella stopped when we saw a restroom.

"Do you mind? I'll be quick," Bella requested. _Liar_.

"Oh, you know what, I need to go to," I told Jasper. He just waved us along and waited outside of the bathroom.

"What are you up to?" I asked Bella as soon as we were in the bathroom. She glared at me.

"How did you know I was planning something?" She asked.

"Do you really think I can't tell when someone is trying to mess with my sister's visions? I've been doing it for the last twelve years. You're not that great of an actress, Bella," I told her.

"Look, I need to go. James has my mom. If I don't show up there – alone – he's going to kill her."

"How do you know?" I asked her.

"The phone call – it was my mom, but it was James. He has her, Dani, I need to go."

"We need to tell them," I said to Bella, grabbing her arm before she could run away. "I know you think that running away is the answer, but you need to tell them. They will help you get her back."

"I only have until noon," Bella said. "I'm sorry, I can't," and she ran off. My eyes widened. I was horrified. She was going off to meet the man who wanted her dead.

I ran back outside to Jasper, panicked. He looked at me, "Where's Bella?" He asked, urgently.

"She's gone," I said, hysterical. He made me calm down and tell him everything. Then, he grabbed my hand and we raced towards the terminal.

I had to retell my story to Edward, Dad, and Emmett. It wasn't even a happy reunion anymore. Dad pulled me into his arms and gave me a big hug, but I couldn't feel much of anything. There was an urgency to everything, and I didn't like it.

"Am I still going to Denali?" I asked, wondering if I was going to need to board a flight.

"No," Alice said, quickly, handing me tickets. "You're going home. Esme will pick you up from the airport while Rosalie continues to watch over Charlie and keep track of the female. We need to go, are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, go," I said and they all hurried off to save Bella.


	18. Back to Normal

It was a three and a half hour drive to get to Forks from Seattle, but I don't remember any of it because as soon as the car hit the highway, I was asleep. I don't even know if I stopped crying by then or not. I was just _so_ tired and now that I was finally safe, my body was running the show.

"Danielle, we're here," Mom said, waking me up. _Home at last_.

I walked into the house and ran up to my room. I threw my bags down on the floor and jumped onto my bed. It felt so good. I heard laughter from the doorway.

"Having fun?" Someone asked.

"Rosalie!" I cried and ran into her arms. She picked me up and spun me around. "I missed you," I said, burrowing my head in her embrace.

"I know, I missed you too," she said, then pulled away. "Oh! I made you some dinner, Mom said you should eat when you get home."

"Yes, oh my God, I am starving!" I said, remembering my human need for food.

As I ate, Mom and Rosalie actually stayed and watched me. Usually I didn't like this because it was awkward that I was the only one eating, but today it was perfectly fine. They were filling me in on everything I missed while I was flying home.

"As far as the humans know, Bella went to the hotel because she was upset, and Edward and Carlisle went down to make sure she was okay. While she was there, she tripped and fell down two flights of stairs and a window, resulting in numerous injuries," Rosalie explained.

"What kind of injuries?" I asked, wondering if I wanted to know the answer.

"She has a broken leg, four broken ribs, a concussion, bruising, and she had significant blood loss," Mom looked at me for a second before continuing, "James also bit her."

"What?" I yelled in shock, nearly choking on my dinner. "He bit her? So she's a vampire?"

"Danielle, relax," Rosalie said, guiding me back down into my chair. "It doesn't always work that way. He bit her, but Edward got there in time and he and Carlisle were able to reverse the effects of the venom."

"How?" I asked.

"It's gross," Rosalie warned.

"It's okay," I told her.

"Edward had to suck Bella's blood to get the venom out, that's why there was so much blood loss." _Oh._ I made a face.

"That's why I didn't want to tell you, sweetie," Rosalie laughed at my disgust. I was still eating too.

"So when are they going to be back?"

"Alice, Jasper, and Emmett will be returning tomorrow, Carlisle and Edward won't be coming back until Bella is released from the hospital," Mom explained.

"So is Bella coming back to Forks?"

"With any luck, yes," Mom said. "It is, however, her decision given the past week's events. Which, by the way, you will be going back to school on Monday. You all have been out long enough."

"Ugh," _School_. I would have to face Andrew and everyone who saw our fight at the dance. It had been really great ignoring _that_ part of my life for a while.

"Trust me, I know," Rosalie said, taking my dishes and bringing them to the sink.

"So, I know it's only like, 7:00, but my sleep cycle is all messed up and I'm exhausted, so I'm going to go to bed now, okay?"

"Good night, my love," My mom said, hugging me again. "I am so glad you are back safe in my arms. I was so worried about you."

"I love you too, mom," I told her.

"Good night, Dani," Rose said. I hugged her too before heading up to sleep in – wait for it – my own bed that night.

TWILIGHT TWILIGHT TWILIGHT TWILIGHT

"She's not sick, is she?" A voice asked.

"She's just tired. Bella got time to sleep and recover in the hospital. This is Danielle's time. They barely slept in the hotel room," Another voice added.

"You guys are going to wake her up, get out!" Someone shushed.

"Forgive me for wanting to see my little sister," Someone growled.

"Guys, leave her alone, I don't want her waking up if she's not ready. She was a mess when she came home She needs this," That was mom.

"Okay," Multiple voices said, and walked out of my room.

"Danielle, I know you're awake," One of the voices, Alice, said. "If you're not ready to wake up, that's fine, but I know you hear my words. No one is mad at you. Everyone is overjoyed to know you made it home safely. Edward and Carlisle will be back by Saturday. You can call them when you're ready."

I rolled over, finally opening my eyes. "There she is," Alice smiled, running her fingers through my hair.

"How long was I asleep for?" I asked her.

"Mom says you went to bed at 7:00 last night, and it is 5:00 tonight. So about 22 hours, I'd say. You need the rest, though, sweetie."

"How is Bella?"

"She's doing well. They're trying to keep her sleeping so she can recover faster. She'll wake up tomorrow. Renee is there with Charlie. Renee is going to try and convince her to come with them to Jacksonville, but she has no intentions of leaving Edward. Apparently we didn't do a good enough job of scaring her off," Alice giggled.

"That's not funny," I said, pouting. "It scared _me_."

"I know, I know," Alice said, hugging me. "You did so well. You were so brave. I am so proud of you."

"I think I'm ready to get up now," I told her. She smiled.

"Let's go do this," She said and jumped off the bed.

* * *

The next few days passed as if nothing had ever happened. It was like a school vacation week, except I had to stay in the house and had to be careful about talking to my friends. The story was that since Edward was going down to visit Bella, Mom, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and I took a trip to go see our relatives in Alaska and wouldn't be back until Monday. It was supposed to be a surprise for us, which is why we didn't know about it.

I didn't really talk with many of my friends anyways. Prom was coming up in a few months, and now that the girl's choice dance was over, it was all anyone was talking about. Upgrading dresses, picking dates, and who was (or was not) going to the all-nighter. The dates from the girl's choice dance changed too, since that was open to all grades and Prom was just for juniors and seniors. Technically, Andrew hadn't even asked me yet, so I wasn't even sure if _I_ was going.

All I ever wanted was to go to Prom. I had seen my siblings, well, everyone but Edward, go year after year and I always admired how beautiful they looked. We had a closet full of Prom dresses that Alice updated and then sold online. There was one that stood out to me, it was a long blue gown that Alice had worn a few years ago. I remember seeing it and thinking that if I wore it I would be like Cinderella. If I got asked to Prom, _that_ was the dress I wanted to wear. I only needed to ask Alice first.

"Alice?" I asked, walking to her and Jasper's room.

"Come in!" She called. When I walked in, I saw the dress on her mannequin, being touched up. I nearly cried with excitement.

"Alice, I love it!" I told her, hugging her. She smiled.

"I figured Cinderella was a little outdated so we'd just go with Elsa," she said showing me the dress.

* * *

Dad and Edward came back Friday night. Bella had been released from the Hospital that morning, but was staying in Phoenix another night with her mother and Charlie. Dad had convinced Edward to come home so the family could re-group before Bella came home and we all had to go back to school.

"Bella will be out from school for a few days, understandably. We, however, will need to return. People will have questions and will want answers. You all already know the story, so just do your best and stay consistent with the answers you give. This is especially important for you, Dani, since you will get the bulk of the questions," Dad explained at the dining room table.

"Got it," I said.

"Does anyone have anything else that they want to mention before we move on?" Dad asked. For once, I spoke up.

"I do," I said softly. Everyone's eyes turned to me.

"This past week was hell for me, and I think you all know that. It brought up a lot of things I had never expected to have to think about, and it caused me to have some moments. I said and thought things that were driven by emotions, and I apologize if you guys felt like I was taking advantage of you or was being selfish.

I have been so used to not having to share you all for so long, so used to not having to share this part of my life, that welcoming Bella into it like that was difficult. It still might be. You guys, though, you are incredible. You kept Bella and I safe and I am so grateful for all of you and your places in my life. I never realized how hard it was to keep me here, as a human, and I think I finally realize all the sacrifices that you've made. So, thank you."

"Thank you, my dear, for being my daughter," Dad said.

"And my daughter," Mom said.

"And our sister," Alice said.

"And my great-grandniece," Edward said, and I smiled. He hugged me. _Of course Alice filled you in_ , I thought to him. "I'm sorry you felt the way you did," he apologized. I shook my head.

"I am honored to be your great-grandniece," I told him, laughing. _Old man._ He just rolled his eyes, and it was like everything was back to normal.

 **A/N: So, a lot of you are wondering how far I am going to go with this story. For me, the plan is to keep going until there is nowhere else to go. I plan on doing all of the Saga, and will include different characters later on. I also plan on filling in the blanks, so there will be ties between books as well instead of just skipping around. This is Dani's story, so I'm just writing where I think she's going to go. For all I know, this could even turn into a post-Breaking Dawn fic later on. Like I said, I'm going until Dani's story ends. With that said, I'm not really going to tell you all when I'm switching books, I'm just going to start writing them in, and let you figure out where they start and end :) I hope you have enjoyed this story so far and I love hearing your thoughts! Thank you all for reading!**


	19. Seventeen

SEVENTEEN

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Dani, happy birthday to you!" My family sang, waking me up. _Holy shit it's my birthday,_ I thought, waking up from my foggy slumber. I totally forgot.

"It's a good thing we didn't," Edward laughed. I was a hot mess right now.

"You need to get ready for school, Esme made a special birthday breakfast, and we'll do presents downstairs when you get home from school today. You get to choose dinner," Alice explained how the day's festivities were going to go.

It was, however, also Monday, and we all had to go back to school. I got ready for school, ate my special birthday breakfast (Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, yum!) and went downstairs. Edward drove Alice, Jasper, and myself while Rosalie and Emmett took the BMW. It was just like old times.

"Where the hell have you been?" I heard someone shout from across the parking lot. I look over to see my whole friend group cheering and clapping, apparently it was because I had finally shown up for school.

"Hey guys," I said sheepishly. I was hoping they were going to do most of the talking so that I didn't have to give too many details away.

"How was Alaska?" Mariana asked. We texted a little when I got back home because she was worried about me.

"It was amazing. It's still pretty cold up there, but it was great to see everyone again," I told her. Suddenly, two arms snaked their way around me. I jumped a little, but heard the most amazing laugh in the world and relaxed.

"Gotcha," Andrew smiled, kissing me. I turned around and kissed him harder than I ever had before. "Woah," he said, surprised. I usually wasn't this into PDA.

"I missed you," I explained.

"I missed you, too," He said. "Did you have fun?" He asked me. I nodded and smiled. He looked down at my fingers, "You've still got your ring on," he pointed out.

"Always, right?" I told him.

"Always," he said.

* * *

Towards the beginning of lunch, people started acting really weird. Very few people were at our lunch table, which was rare. If we weren't eating lunch in the cafeteria, I was usually given the heads up.

All of a sudden, I could hear the beginnings of MKTO's _Classic_ playing. Then, Andrew started singing and walking down the middle of the room.

One by one, my friends came out and started dancing along. _Classic_ was the first song that Andrew and I danced to together, and it described our relationship perfectly. It became the anthem for our relationship, and all of our friends knew it.

By the end of the song I was in tears. My friends came up and hugged me one by one, giving me their birthday wishes. Andrew was the last one to come up. He had the microphone and started speaking.

"Danielle, it's your birthday, so I know that you're supposed to call the shots, but there was one thing I wanted to ask you. Would you go to Prom with me?" _Oh. My. God_.

"Dani say something!" I heard Alice yell. I looked back at my siblings with wide eyes. I was terrified. They smiled and nodded with encouragement.

"Yes, oh my God, yes!" I yelled and jumped into Andrew's arms. He spun me around a few times and the whole Cafeteria cheered. It was like something out of a movie, but it wasn't. It was my life. My crazy incredible life.

* * *

"I can't believe you did that," I told Andrew when he was walking me to Edward's car after classes ended.

"Well, it wasn't exactly hard since you were out of state," he said. "Plus, I felt bad about leaving the Girl's Choice Dance the way we did. I never should have pressured you like that, I don't know what I was thinking."

"Yeah, I don't know if my brothers are ever going to forgive you for that, by the way," I told him, almost joking.

"I guess it's a good thing my promposal was the best thing this school has ever seen, huh?" He laughed. I nodded.

"It was incredible," I agreed. "I can't believe you pulled that together in a week."

"We have some crazy talented friends," He pointed out.

"That's true," I said. "By the way, I already have my dress picked out, so I can send you the colors tonight," I smiled. He rolled his eyes.

"What if I didn't ask you to Prom?" He said, laughing.

"Fiona would have let me go with her," I smirked.

"God, of course she would," He said. "It's a good thing I love you too much to let her steal you away from me like that."

"It's a good thing _I_ love _you_ too much to let her steal me away from you like that," I countered, kissing him. We kissed for what felt like years before I felt someone tap my shoulder.

"What the-" I said, getting ready to ream whomever it was. "Oh, it's you," I said, noticing Emmett. Of course they sent him.

"We're leaving," he pointed out, not taking his eyes of Andrew.

"Okay, you don't have to be so protective," I told him, pushing him away from my boyfriend. "We're allowed to kiss," I told Emmett, quietly.

"You know what, Dani, I'll see you later, okay? Happy birthday, again," Andrew said, acting weirder than he was before. Emmett freaked him out. Edward, not so much since they had a few classes together. Jasper and Emmett, absolutely.

"I'm sorry, thank you so much for today!" I called to him and ran up to give him one last kiss, just to piss Emmett off. I knew the others were watching, too.

"Let's go, Dani!" Jasper called from the car. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm coming!" I called.

* * *

So it turns out Rosalie and Alice left school early in the BMW to come home and decorate. Bella was already here, trying to help as much as possible, but she was in a cast. Dad and Mom were both ready to welcome me home as well.

"You could have warned me that I was being ambushed at school today," I told Alice when I got home. She was waiting for us in the driveway.

"By who? Andrew or the three stooges?" I laughed. That was a good one.

"Either. Both," I told her. She just smiled.

"I told you he would ask you," she said. I nodded.

"I know, I just worry."

"Everyone does," she comforted. "Are you ready for your party?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I told her.

"Hush, you'll love it!"

"Happy birthday!" Everyone shouted when I finally made it inside. Alice was right, the decorations were beautiful. There were lights everywhere and soft music playing. While I was outside with Alice, the boys had all changed into nice collared shirts and pants. I felt horribly underdressed, but I was used to it by now.

"You could have at least warned me to dress up today," I told Alice.

"You're too intuitive, it would have set you off," Alice explained.

"It's not like I didn't know you were throwing me a party Alice," I groaned. I was wearing jeans and a t-shirt compared to my sisters, who were both wearing nice dresses, Bella who was wearing a skirt and nice t shirt, and my brothers, who, like I said earlier, were wearing nice suits.

One of the traditions on my birthday was for everyone in the family to share their favorite memory of me in the past year. They started that when I was first brought into the family as a way to keep me special when so often, I felt sub-par to my supernatural siblings.

"My favorite memory of Danielle this past year was her first day of sophomore year," Rosalie started. "She was so excited to not be a freshman anymore and to be dating an upperclassman. She made me give her a makeover because she needed to 'look the part.' We had a great day of bonding and laughs." I remembered that day too, it was one of my favorites.

Everyone else took turns saying their favorite memories of me. Dad's was Christmas, when I slept in until 1:00 in the afternoon, and didn't even realize it was actually Christmas until I came downstairs and saw everyone under the tree. They had taken bets to see when I would actually wake up, but I outlasted everyone.

Mom's was a few months ago when we spent the afternoon planting in the backyard. We talked about different types of flowers and she explained the different smells to me. She mentioned that when I was younger I would always ask about what things looked like to her or smelt like to her because of her enhanced senses, and it reminded her of that.

Emmett's was a football game that we played on Thanksgiving with Edward and Jasper. I was on a team with Edward and Emmett nearly crushed me, but I was so small that I completely evaded him and got the winning touchdown. He said he was proud of my athleticism and tenacity against a team of vampires.

Jasper's was in October when I had a research paper to write about the Civil War. He got to sit and talk with me about his life as a human, and he said that I was more interested than he expected me to be. He was proud of my note taking and my interview skills, even if my teachers would never know my true sources.

Alice said that hers was a few days ago, when she saw my reaction to the Prom dress she had been fixing up for me. She said that she had known that I would want that Prom dress since she wore it herself, and had been planning ever since to give it to me. She had been seeing my reaction for years in her head, but that the reality was so much better and she was so happy she could put that kind of joy on my face again after everything I had been through.

Edward was the last one to go. "This year, I am not going to share my favorite memory with Danielle," He began. "I'm not sharing that, because every moment Danielle and I spend together is a moment I cherish. Instead, I want to share a moment that showed how grown up Danielle has become this past year. A moment where none of us influenced her decision and a moment that was unprecedented. It was a moment where, in a time of great fear, Danielle showed what a brave and mature woman she was.

This moment was at the airport, after Bella had run off. We asked you to take a plane, on your own, back to Seattle. We had very little time to say goodbye to you, and you followed directions and made it home safely. You didn't throw a fit, you didn't ask questions, you just did what you knew was best for everyone involved. You were scared and upset, but you channeled your love for us and got through it. I think that is a testament to how much you have grown this past year. It is a testament to your strength and your courage."

"Thank you, Edward," I choked out. He came up and hugged me. The rest of the family nodded in agreement.

"You are truly a Cullen," Dad said.

"Can I say something?" Bella said softly from her spot on the couch. I wiped a few tears away, I had totally forgotten she was there.

"Of course," Edward said.

"Well, it's no secret that there was a house divided when Edward and I became a couple. I just want to say 'thank you' to Danielle for being there by me, and dealing with my questions, when you probably didn't want to. I understand now why you sometimes got frustrated with me," She said. I laughed.

"Welcome to being one of two humans in the Cullen clan," I told Bella, and went over to hug her.

"We've got to stick together, I guess," She said. I nodded.

"Absolutely," _I have the greatest family in the world,_ I thought to myself. Edward's smile grew.

"So, who wants cake?" I heard Emmett say. We all laughed.

Seventeen was going to be a great year.


	20. Prom Part One

Prom was coming up fast. Today was Sunday, and Prom was this upcoming Friday.

The whole Cullen family was going. All of the girls already had their dresses, and we kept them lined up on mannequins in Alice's walk-in-closet.

Rosalie's dress was a long red tight-fitted gown. It had sparkles along the sweetheart cut, making her boobs look amazing. The back of the dress was cut out, leaving a few lines of sparkles and a hell of a lot of skin. I had never seen her in it, but I knew she would put all of the other girls to shame.

Alice's dress was a little bit different, and something I wouldn't really expect her to wear. It was a short black dress with loose fabric that tailed behind. It had triangle cutouts around the waist area, and a halter line that complimented the triangle style. I was pretty sure that Alice made this dress herself. Her designs weren't bad, they just, weren't what I would choose to wear.

Prom day we were all allowed to get out of school early. Instead of going to a hair salon, Alice and Rosalie were going to do my hair and makeup. I would get into my dress here and Andrew would meet me. We would do pictures with the family and then Andrew and I would drive over to Fiona's. Her parents would actually be home, so we would do group pictures and a bunch of the parents would be there.

We'd go to the high school and then Prom would begin. It would be an amazing night.

"Are you going to the all-nighter?" Rosalie asked one night. Everyone was kind of just mulling around the house. Dad was in his office, Emmett and Jasper were playing chess, Alice was working on her dress, and Mom was looking over blueprints. Rose and I were watching TV.

"I don't think so," I told her. "I think we're all just going back to Fiona's house after and doing our own all-nighter."

"Are her parents going to be home? Not that it matters…" Rosalie trailed. I knew what she was thinking.

"As of right now, they will be home. This is Forks, Rose, and Bella's dad is the Chief. They are well aware of post-Prom parties," I tried to tell her. I knew Mom and Dad were probably listening, so I guess this was for them as well.

"Just be safe," she said. "We don't need you getting into any trouble."

"God forbid I do something _human_ ," I rolled my eyes.

"Better for you to live as a human in a vampire world than for us to have to turn you into a vampire because you were too dangerous in the human one," Rosalie said nonchalantly, but it bothered me.

"You would do that?" I asked her. "You would turn me without even asking? If I was dying?"

"Of course, why? Isn't that what you would want?" I hesitated, but not long enough to set her off. She wasn't paying enough attention.

"Sure," I said, softly, and dropped the subject. The truth was, I had been thinking a lot about what I wanted. Eventually, there would come a time when I had to choose. I was just hoping that it was later rather than sooner.

TWILIGHT TWILIGHT TWILIGHT

The week went by quickly after that. The biggest talk was Bella being back and of course everyone was going nuts over her broken leg. Edward hardly left her side. I stayed with Andrew most of the time, myself.

On Friday, I left early with my sisters. The boys stayed at the school. Rosalie drove Alice and I home in her BMW. Bella didn't know it, but Edward was going to pick her up and take her to Prom too.

Rosalie immediately started on my hair while Alice got my dress ready. She was quick and I barely felt anything. I had gotten used to them doing my hair from a young age. It was one of my favorite things growing up.

She was doing some intricate half up half down do and putting sparkles in my hair. _I'm going to be covered in glitter for the rest of my life_ , I thought to myself.

It took about an hour, and that's because Rosalie was being extra careful. After she was done with my hair, Alice came in and did my makeup. After that, they both helped me get into my dress.

"Go to the bathroom before you get in it, or you're going to be in trouble later," Alice reminded me. It was the little things I didn't think about like that when I was grateful for my sister's talent. I had more than enough people at Prom to help me, but it was less awkward if I just didn't have to go.

The boys came home around 3:00. Edward came and changed quickly, as he was going to have to get Bella. I was the first of the girls to be ready, so I was able to take a few pictures outside with him before he left. Soon after, Rosalie, Alice, Emmett, and Jasper came out. Mom and Dad looked in awe at us, their children.

"You look most beautiful," Dad said, hugging me.

"Careful, you'll be covered in glitter if you get too close. They sense your fear," I joked. He laughed and continued to hug me anyways.

The girls took a picture together, and then the boys. Then it was me with the boys and then me with Mom and Dad. Each of the couples took pictures together too. It was like a wedding.

Andrew arrived around 4:00. He looked so handsome and smiled so brightly when he came into the backyard and saw me.

"I must look really good if you're looking at me like that. You haven't even looked at Rosalie's boobs once!" I joked. He rolled his eyes.

"Dani," he said.

"I'm kidding!" I laughed and went over to kiss him.

"You look amazing," He said, kissing me back.

"You're going to ruin your makeup!" Alice yelled, breaking us apart. "Come on, we need a picture of you two and then you need to leave. You will have all night for smooching."

Mom took what seemed like a thousand pictures of Andrew and I before Alice finally kicked us out. I think Emmett and Jasper were glad when she finally pulled the plug, because they couldn't handle our PDA.

We got to Fiona's house and everyone was already there. Everyone looked amazing. Fiona had ended up taking Tyler and Alex was taking Evan, another boy in our group. Together, we made up six couples. Six couples, and one van. It was a ride, that's for sure.

We got to the high school to see the theme - I think it was supposed to be Vegas, but it looked more like a kindergarten classroom. There were balloons and streamers.

"Who was on the Prom committee?" I asked Andrew when we walked in.

"Fiona, Alex, and some other girls," He shrugged. I looked at Alex and Fiona, who had already ditched their male dates for each other, and they laughed.

"It's supposed to be a Casino/Vegas theme," Alex explained.

"Yeah, we were on a budget. There are, however, cards at all of the tables in case Andrew's dancing is subpar tonight," Fiona added. Andrew smacked her.

"Speaking of dancing," I suggested, looking at Andrew. "I think my siblings have intimidated enough of the upperclassmen. Let's show them who the real dancers are."

"I couldn't have said it better," Andrew said, and pulled me onto the dance floor. Tonight was going to be great, I could feel it.


	21. Fight

FIGHT

Andrew and I danced the night away. I truly felt like a princess. Of course, people were talking about the Cullens, but it didn't matter to me.

Bella arrived around 6:00 and it looked like she wanted to kill Edward for bringing her. She was in a nice dress that Alice had picked for her and it hid her cast pretty well. By now, she was in a brace and could walk. She was grateful to gain some independence back.

Since the James incident, Bella and I had become really good friends. She came to me for advice on "human in a vampire world" stuff and I told her my experiences. I would go over her house when I needed some human time to vent about my vampire family, and she would listen – and understand. It was a nice bonus to my life that I had never had before.

Needless to say, Bella and Edward didn't really dance all that much. He pulled her to the dance floor once or twice, but she was embellishing the pain in her leg as a reason to not dance. She was fine and we all knew that, but she still stuck with it.

Other than Bella and Edward, though, I didn't really pay much attention to my family. I was perfectly happy being in Andrew's arms all night.

When we got tired of dancing, we went and sat at our seats and I just sat on his lap and laid back into him. I was more tired than I expected once I sat down.

"We're going to be leaving soon, I think," Andrew said, playing with my hair. I don't know why, it was pretty crusty from all the hairspray Rosalie had to use.

"Good, then I can get out of this dress," I laughed. It was beautiful, but it was not comfortable.

"And eat as much as you want," Andrew added. I had been complaining about not being able to eat too much so I wouldn't break my dress.

"Absolutely," I agreed with him. He knew me. For my birthday, other than the promposal, he actually got me Lindt Chocolates, which I ate in a day.

"I still can't believe you are so beautiful," Andrew mused, still playing with my hair. We sat in silence for a few minutes, just watching the madness around us until Fiona came over.

"We're going to be leaving in like, ten minutes, so say goodbye to anyone you need to say goodbye to," she warned. I _should_ go say bye to my siblings, wherever they were.

"Are you getting up?" Andrew asked, after I didn't move.

"I don't wanna," I complained like a child. He just laughed.

"If you don't at least show your siblings that you are alive and well, they're going to hunt me down. Go say goodbye," Andrew said, knowing what I was thinking. Bleh. Responsibility.

I walked over to where Bella and Edward were sitting.

"We're headed out," I told them. "It was nice to see you Bella, you look great," I added on at the end. She rolled her eyes.

"Great for an ambush," she grunted. Edward laughed.

"I'm sure you enjoyed at least a part of tonight," Edward told her, kissing her on the cheek. Bella blushed.

"Alright lovebirds," I said, becoming uncomfortable, "Ed, can you pass my goodbye onto the crew? I really don't want to have to weave back through everyone."

"Of course, go have fun, and please be safe," Edward told me.

"I will, I promise," I said to him.

* * *

Within the first hour of being at Fiona's post-prom party, I knew three things: one, Fiona's parents most definitely were _not_ home; two, there were more than "just a few of us" here; and three, I shouldn't have come.

I had already changed out of my Prom dress and into a more comfortable party outfit. I knew it wasn't going to be parent approved, but I didn't know the night was going to be this rowdy.

"Hey guys!" Fiona said, walking up to us. She had already tapped into her parents' liquor cabinet.

"Hey, Fi," Andrew and I told her. I was overwhelmed by the amount of people so I stuck close to him.

"There's a few different beers going around and Alex is mixing drinks in the kitchen. Dani, her White Russian is to die for, you should definitely get in on that before the others do," Fiona went off. She was already buzzed.

"I think I'll pass," I told her. If I went home drunk, my dad kill me and he wouldn't turn me afterwards.

"Come on, babe, loosen up. Have some fun!" Andrew said. "Fi, I'll take you up on a beer," he mentioned to her.

"Coming right up, lovebug," Fiona said, winking. Ugh.

"It's been an hour," I complained to Andrew when she left. "She's such a lightweight."

"Look at who her parents are," Andrew defended. "She was born with booze in her system."

"That's not an excuse," I told him. He just rolled his eyes.

"We can't all have perfect parents," He scoffed. I pushed him away and looked at him.

"What does _that_ mean?" I defended.

"You're a Cullen, you wouldn't understand. Some of us aren't lucky enough to get our cards handed to us."

"Do I need to remind you that I didn't always live with the Cullens?" I nearly yelled at him. "I had a really _shitty_ life before I was placed with them, you know."

"Babe, I don't want to fight about this right now. Go get a drink and come back," He said, waving me off.

"Don't tell me what to do. I don't like that you think my life is all apples and bananas, because it certainly is not." _And you don't know the half of it and there's no way I can explain that to you_ , I added in my head.

"Okay, you're right, whatever. No apples and bananas for you," He said, taking another swig of his beer.

"You know what, I'm going home," I told him. I didn't need to be here.

"Babe, don't go," he said, suddenly back to being my caring and loving boyfriend. He grabbed my arm.

"Let go of me," I glared at him. "You've been drinking all night, don't pretend like I don't know. I love Fiona, but I don't love her decisions and I certainly don't love when you follow in her footsteps."

"You've never had a problem with Fiona before," he pointed out, nearly yelling now. People were looking at us now.

"You've never been so fixated with her before!" I defended.

"Maybe you shouldn't disappear for weeks on end and take so many days off! Maybe then I'd be able to spend less time with her and more time with my girlfriend. It's not like you don't spend every waking moment with Tyler," He threw out there, just to piss me off.

"Tyler has nothing to do with this," I sneered at Andrew. "You're drunk and I'm going home. We will talk about this later, when you are sober."

"Fine, you don't belong here anyways," he said, and I tried to make it look like it didn't hurt so much.

* * *

I only had to walk three blocks before Edward was pulling up beside me.

"I'm going to kill him," Edward said coldly as I got into the car. I played everything for him in my mind as the tears ran down my face. He rubbed my back. It hurt so much, and I didn't expect it too.

"He was drunk, it wasn't his fault, he didn't mean it," I said, throwing out every excuse in the book. I really didn't think he meant it, but I also wasn't completely sure. It hurt less if I gave him excuses.

"Do you want to go home?" Edward asked. "Or I can drive you to Bella's?" He suggested. I nodded at the last option. I really didn't want to go home yet. I couldn't face everyone.

"Okay," he said and drove to Bella's. She was awake, probably because Edward left.

"I can make you a spot on the couch," Bella offered. "It's not super comfortable, but it's better than nothing. My dad's patrolling, so you don't have to worry about him if you've been drinking."

"I haven't been," I said softly. "The couch is perfect, thank you."

"Bella, why don't you head up to bed, I'll keep an eye on her for now," Edward suggested. Bella placed a glass of water on the side table and nodded.

"Good night," Bella said, and went upstairs.

"Good night," I told her, and put my head down.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Edward asked, running his fingers through my hair. I shook my head.

"I just want to sleep," I told him.

"That's okay," He said. "It's going to be okay."

If I lost Andrew because of this, I didn't know that it would be.


	22. Girl's Day

GIRL'S DAY

Andrew and I met the first day of Show Choir my freshman year. We were paired together and he knew who I was, even if I didn't know him that well.

He started off thinking that I was just another Cullen, but was surprised when I acted so much different from my siblings. We hit it off right away. We joked and laughed and got along well socially with each other. As partners, we got down to work when we needed and we both had the creativity bug. At first, he thought he would have to be the leader, both on the dance floor and off. He soon also learned that he didn't _have_ to be. I was a confident enough leader that he could take a step back – and he did.

Andrew comes from a small family. His father died when he was young and it has been him and his mother ever since. When I first met her, I could see where his manners came from. She was very old fashioned, but loved her boy more than anything else in the world.

Our first date was actually dinner at their house. He made spaghetti and meatballs for us. His mom told me all sorts of embarrassing stories about him and he blushed. At the end of the night, while his mom and I were doing the dishes, she told me that she had never seen him look at any other girl the way he looks at me, and that he never stopped talking about me. That I made him happier than she had seen him in a long time.

She told me the same thing we told Bella about Edward.

I started high school with a relationship with someone who I could love. Someone who my brothers couldn't scare away and someone who shared my interests. Who listened to my stories and laughed and cried with me. Someone who I wanted to share every piece of my life with, and hated that I couldn't.

I don't know when things started to change. He went from caring to distant. From understanding to judgmental. Impatient. Moody.

At the end of the day, it had nothing to do with Fiona. Fiona had always been the way she is. Her parents had more money than everyone in town combined, but they were never around. When she was little, Andrew told me that his mom was her nanny, that's why they're so close. They're like siblings, because that's how they were raised. When she was thirteen, she convinced her parents that she could stay home by herself. It was Forks, what trouble could she get into?

Living by yourself in high school is bound to cause you to make some bad decisions. Like I told Andrew, I love Fiona, but I don't love her decisions. She was going to hurt herself, because she was already hurting. She never got her parents' approval the way that Andrew and I had ours. He was right in a way, I was very lucky to have the parents I did. Andrew lost his father, and Fiona barely had any. My father gave me up and my mother died, but at least I had my adoptive parents.

I guess what it came down to in the end for Andrew is that I loved him, but I didn't love who he was becoming, and who Fiona was enabling him to be.

"Danielle, are you okay?" I heard Bella say, coming down the stairs. It was about 6:00 in the morning.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good," I told her, sitting up on the couch. "Where's Edward?"

"He went home to try and explain some of last night so you didn't have to. You're welcome to stay here as long as you need, though. My dad's home, but he'll leave us alone if you want to have a girl's day."

"We had a fight, we didn't break up," I clarified. I wasn't willing to take that step yet.

"I know what you're thinking," Bella said, giving me the same look Edward gives me when he knows I'm not being honest with myself.

"Okay, Edward," I said.

"Seriously. You think he's as good as it's going to get. You move around too much and he understands your family and the crazy way it works. You don't want to have to start from square one again."

"It was a one time thing, Bella, it's over. I thought the point of a girl's day was to not talk about boys?" I tried to change the subject.

"True, but I _am_ the only other human who you can talk to about the real reason why you're struggling and I _am_ the only person who knows what you're feeling on _that_ end."

"Point made, can we move on now? Thinking about it all makes me want to throw up," It wasn't a lie.

"I think that's the hangover," Bella laughed. I did too, and nodded. She handed me a bottled water and some Advil. I didn't drink that much, but being around all the pot and alcohol, even for a short while last night, definitely did its damage.

"What do you have for movies?" I asked her, not really wanting to dwell on anything, and certainly not wanting to sit in silence any longer.

"I have Netflix," Bella said, firing up the TV. "Do you want breakfast?"

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," I told her. She got Netflix running and then left it on the menu while we figured out breakfast.

We ended up making pancakes and watching Pitch Perfect. It was funny for me since I was in an A Cappella group. I got a lot of the musical jokes they made.

Charlie came home around 8:00 and went to bed. The night shift was tough, especially on Prom night. He said hi, but not much else.

Edward came back around lunch time. He brought us Pizza, knowing it would at least cheer me up a little bit.

"Everyone wants to know when you're planning on coming home," Edward mentioned while Bella and I were eating. "They're worried about you."

"I'm fine," I told him. "Even if I do come home, it's not like I want everyone asking me all of the gory details. Everyone saw the fight so I'm going to get enough of that on Monday." I already had to turn my phone off because of all the messages I was getting. I didn't want to hear it, and I certainly didn't need Andrew's pity calls.

"Andrew was calling," Edward mentioned.

"Who answered?" I asked him.

"Carlisle, he was the only one who was calm enough to tell him you weren't home," Edward said, growling a little at the end.

"He was really drunk, Edward," I said, defending Andrew again.

"That's not an excuse."

"You weren't even there! It's not like you guys didn't see this coming! If you are so worried about me now, then maybe you should have told me before that my boyfriend and I were going to get into a fight! Or maybe, you wanted me to be angry with him so I'd break up with him and be single for the rest of my life!" I snapped at Edward. Charlie woke up and came downstairs.

"Is everything okay?" He mumbled, still half asleep. Bella nodded and Charlie glared at Edward.

"Oh, hello Edward," Charlie grunted, and went back upstairs. He must not have liked that Edward was here without his permission. I wondered if Dad would ever give Andrew permission to come over again. I'm sure Alice told him what went down by now.

"Danielle, you need to calm down," Edward said, not at all upset by my outburst. "We agreed a long time ago that you would be free to make your own decisions."

"None of you wanted me at that party and _don't_ try to blame this on me," I sneered at him. Bella was in shock. She had never seen this side of me before.

"I am not blaming anything on you," Edward said calmly. He was playing games with me.

"Is that why you don't want to go home?" Bella asked, softly. "Because you're mad at _them_?"

"I don't know," I said, honestly and to no one in particular. "I'm just mad at the universe right now."

"You're allowed to be mad, but I'm starting to think more and more that the place you need to be isn't here, but with your family. We both almost died a month ago, and we survived that, but we didn't survive that so you could hide from the people you love just because you're mad at them."

"Bella, you're pretty smart, did anyone ever tell you that?" I told her. When she put it that way, there really was no way to argue.

"I tell her that all the time," Edward said, kissing her. Bella blushed. I laughed.

"Let's go, Edward. This pizza was great, but I need to talk to Alice. And turn my phone back on," I shivered. That was not something I was looking forward to doing.


	23. Forgiveness

FORGIVENESS

A lot of things happened that night.

Mom and Dad made it painfully clear that they were upset I went to that party, and somehow, I got grounded.

Jasper and Emmett made it clear that they didn't want Andrew anywhere near me, or I anywhere near him.

Rosalie did not say much, but it was clear that she was not thrilled about much that happened either.

Then, after I spent an hour getting roasted, Alice, Edward, and I snuck off to talk about the other part of the night – what they saw, and why they didn't act on it until it was all over.

"What did you see, exactly?" I asked Alice when we were alone. They both had already promised to answer all of my questions honestly.

"Andrew had made the decision to drink at Prom, and I saw the fight you two had at the party. I wasn't able to see that though until you decided to go to the party, which wasn't until Thursday. If I had known about the fight and him hurting you, I would have said something Dani, I promise," Alice confessed. I believed her. Edward and Alice shared another glance.

"What about you? What did you know?" I turned to Edward.

"I knew what Alice knew, that Andrew was planning on drinking. As soon as she saw the fight happen she called me and I went to pick you up. I was at Bella's house, of course."

"I just don't understand, I know he can be an asshole when he drinks, but it has never been this bad before," I said, defeated. I didn't want my family to hate him, but there wasn't much else I could do at this point.

"You need to talk to him," Alice said. "He needs to know that what happened wasn't okay and that it can never happen again."

"He's not who you think he is, Dani," Edward said, sadly, knowing that I was going to find any excuse to forgive him. "What he said to you last night, it is what he really thinks about you and this family."

"Stop, Edward," I said, getting upset. He shook his head.

"I know you. I know that you will walk into school on Monday morning and believe everything he says. He _will_ try everything in the book to get you back, because he _does_ love you and that's the only reason I have allowed your relationship to get this far, but things have changed. He put his hands on you, Danielle. That is not and never will it be okay."

"He barely touched me," I defended. The pill Edward was handing me was _very_ hard to swallow.

"Have you seen your arm?" I looked down. There was a bruise right where Andrew's hand grabbed me. I took in a deep breath.

"It doesn't-" I started, but Edward cut me off, knowing what I was going to say.

"It does matter. It matters that he has been pressuring you to have sex – and don't pretend like I don't know about _that_ argument," he shot at me, "It matters that he dismisses you. It matters that he dismisses this family. It matters that he doesn't care about _your_ needs and yet expects you to care about his."

"It's not like that," I said softly, but it was. Edward was right, and we all knew it. I just don't know how I never saw it before.

His constant need to be with me all during school.

How badly he wanted me to drink the other night.

How he was always defensive of his choices, but critical of mine.

"You said it yourself, he loves me," I pointed out. Not wanting to believe anything else. If he loved me, we could get through this. I would talk to him and we would fix things.

"You can't fix his personality, Dani," Edward said, reading my thoughts. "You can't change someone like that."

"It happens all the time," I said.

"In books and movies. This is real life. This is _your_ life and he is going to hurt you. He is going to _keep_ hurting you," Alice spoke up.

"Did you see that? Did you see him actually hurting me?" I challenged her. I could see her searching. Willing him to put his hands on me so she'd have an excuse. Her eyes focused back on me and I just shook my head.

"That's what I thought," I told her. I got up and tried to leave.

"He is sober right now, Danielle. All he wants is to make things right with you. That's all I see. But when he's drunk? He makes impulsive decisions and yes, he will hurt you. He will hurt you and I won't be able to see it until it's too late. We can't make you stay away from him. We can't make your decisions for you, we promised you that we never would, but you need to know that we can't protect you from him if you choose this path," Alice explained.

"He loves me?" I asked Edward. He rolled his eyes.

"Dani…" He trailed. He knew where I was going.

"You've read his mind you read his mind every day. You tell me the truth right now," I warned him.

"Yes, he loves you," Edward said, defeated now.

"Then I choose him," I said, and walked out the room and upstairs into my own.

* * *

I didn't talk to anyone for the rest of the weekend. I knew how they felt about my decision, and I didn't want to hear their criticisms or listen to them try and convince me that Andrew was a bad person. I spent a lot of time considering what Alice and Edward had told me, and thinking about what I wanted to do.

Monday was dreadful. My mom tried to make short conversation, but I couldn't say much. I didn't have much of an appetite because going to school terrified me. I honestly thought I was going to throw up.

"Are you feeling okay?" Dad asked me on my way out. He didn't have to go in until after we were already at school. He felt my forehead, but I didn't have a fever.

"I'm just nervous for school," I admitted. He nodded, already knowing why.

"Everything will be fine. You'll do the right thing," He said, running his hand down my head. "Try to have a good day, love," He told me. I hugged him goodbye.

"Thanks, good luck at work. Save some lives today," I smiled. He smiled back and waved.

I drove with my siblings in the BMW today since Edward was now picking up Bella daily. Usually I went with him, but today was different. I didn't need the extra attention. I wasn't the only one who put on a show at Prom.

"Remember what Alice said," Rosalie threw out casually as we were walking away. Andrew was already waiting for me, and he had flowers. I rolled my eyes. I wouldn't be the first human who disappointed Rosalie.

"Hey Dani," Andrew said softly, knowing he was in the doghouse. "I got these for you," he said, handing me the flowers.

"Thank you," I said, a little more aggressive than necessary. I could feel the eyes on us and it was making me nervous.

"Look, I'm not going to beat around the bush. I fucked up. Big time. I shouldn't have talked about your family that way, and I certainly shouldn't have talked to you that way. I shouldn't have grabbed you like that, either," he said, glancing down at my arm.

"Holy shit, did I do that?" He asked. I nodded. He ran his hands through his hair nervously. "Babe.." he trailed.

"It's not okay," I mustered. "It's not okay, but I love you. I love you enough that I am going to give you one more chance. One more chance to fix what we had," Andrew smiled, and came up to hug me. I took a step back.

"There are conditions, though," I warned him. He nodded, eyes wide. "First and foremost, the next time you put your hands on me like that again, we are over. There will be no other chances and I will not argue with you. I will walk away and I will leave. Secondly, I will not be going to any more parties with you. If you are drinking, I will not be there. I do not want to take that part of your life away from you, but I will not be a part of it with you. Being drunk is not an experience I enjoy, and I do not enjoy you when you are under the influence. You are, quite frankly, mean, and I don't need that. Third of all, you have to accept the fact that my family has lost all of their respect for you. You need to earn it back," I finished.

"All of that sounds absolutely reasonable," Andrew agreed. I nodded. He bent over to kiss me, but I didn't kiss him back. He made a face when we parted, but I just looked into his eyes. He knew. He knew he screwed up and we weren't going to be the same, not for a while. He understood that, at least, I thought he did.

* * *

It took until August for me to find out about what really happened during that party.

It took until August for me to realize why Alice and Edward kept glancing at each other while they were trying to convince me to break up with him.

It took until August for Andrew to break my heart completely.

It did _not_ take until August for Andrew to sleep with Fiona.

"You whore!" I yelled at her, pushing her down to the ground. "You're such a fucking whore how could you do that to me?!"

"It was so long ago, Danielle. We were both crazy drunk and we both wanted sex. You wouldn't give it to him, so I did."

"You _lied_ to me! What did you think, you could just walk around and pretend like we were still best friends after you slept with my boyfriend? Did you think I wouldn't find out?!"

"That was the thought, yeah," Fiona said, dusting herself off. "Look, don't be mad at me. I wanted to tell you. He was the one who wanted to pretend like it never happened."

"I don't want to hear it, Fiona," I warned her. She was going to end up in the dirt again if she didn't shut her mouth.

"Look, Dani, let me drive you home," Tyler offered, reminding me that I had witnesses. We were all hanging out at the beach when someone started talking about Prom. That's when Alex, in her tipsy state, told me that it was so cool that I was in an "open relationship" with Andrew now. Apparently, Fiona wasn't the only girl that he had been sleeping around with. She soon realized that we were most definitely _not_ in an open relationship.

I ignored Tyler and walked right up to Andrew and punched him in the face.

"As for you," I told him, "I hope Fiona is a better girlfriend than I was, because clearly, I was missing something all along."

"Dani, don't go. Let's talk about this," Andrew plead. He wasn't even bothered by my right hook.

"There's nothing to talk about," I told him sternly. "I am going home and you better hope to hell that when school starts next month that my brothers don't have any classes with you. I am so done with your bullshit."

I got into Tyler's car. Nobody followed us. We were driving for no less than five minutes before I finally broke down. Tyler pulled over.

"Dani, I'm so sorry," he said. "If I knew, I would have told you."

"Shut up, dipshit," I told him, a bit too harshly. "I'm so stupid."

"You're not. You're not stupid, no. Dani, none of this is your fault," He tried to tell me. It was no use.

"I wanted to believe him, you know? When he came back and apologized after Prom, I wanted to believe him so badly that everything was going to be good again. And it was, Ty, it was so good. We went out and we did things together. We were perfect again. But none of it was perfect, none of it was good," I cried.

"I know," Tyler said, holding me.

"You're such a good friend," I told Tyler, finally looking up. "You have this amazing girlfriend and you just left her on the beach so you could get me out of there. You're such a good friend."

"I would do _anything_ for you, Danielle. You have to know that by now. I _love_ Ronna. She's the best relationship I've ever had, but you're my girl. It's you and me against the world, just like it's always been."

"I'm a mess," I said, looking in the mirror. My makeup was everywhere. "I need to go home."

"You're allowed to be a mess right now," Tyler told me. He took a look at me to make sure I was okay before he started driving again. We sat in silence and nothing could be heard except for my tears.

He drove down the long and winding roads. He finally pulled into my driveway and I could already feel the anxiety from my family.

"I'll call you tomorrow, okay? We can grab lunch or something with Mariana."

"Look, I appreciate that, but I really just need some time away from everyone. I'm probably just going to watch movies and take a girls day with my sisters. We'll figure this out," I said, hugging him and smiling as best I could. He needed to know that I would be okay, even if I didn't know it yet.

I started walking up to my front door when I heard Tyler yell from his car, "Andrew's a dick!" He finally said the one thing that could make me laugh right now, and that's why we were best friends.

 **A/N:** So…uh oh! I missed my update yesterday! I am so sorry! Unfortunately, this week is going to be tough for updating as well. I am working an 11 hour day tomorrow and then I will be out of town Friday – Monday for Memorial Day Weekend. I also have some random stuff happening Tuesday and Wednesday night. With that said, I will do my best to keep pumping out chapters, but this is just your heads up. I promise I'm not leaving you all hanging! Have a great week and I am loving your feedback! Get ready for the New Moon section of the story to start soon, it's going to be good!


	24. Party

PARTY

Junior year was off to a really shitty start.

First and foremost, I was single. And not only was I single, but my ex-boyfriend was in a relationship with the girl he cheated on me with.

Second of all, I was no longer the "normal" Cullen. Edward now had that title. Dating Bella came with all kinds of social obligations, and Edward filled them all. While Edward thrived in the boyfriend department, I retreated into myself as my boyfriend failed. I spent what was left of summer wallowing in my own self pity and only going out when I had to to show my friends were still alive.

Well, at least what was left of my friends, which leads me to my third point: I didn't sign up for show choir this year and I quit the A Cappella group. It was way too awkward being there around Andrew and Fiona. Tyler, Ronna, Mariana, and Alex, who also got screwed after Andrew and Fiona went exclusive, tried to convince me to stay, but it wasn't worth it. As a result of my anti-social behavior, a lot of people just stopped talking to me.

It felt like if there was a time for anyone in my family to slip up and snack on someone, this would be the time to do it.

"Dani, it's time for school," I heard Alice say, waiting eagerly to pick my outfit for today.

"I don't want to go," I complained. I could practically hear her rolling her eyes.

"You say that every day now," Alice groaned. She had been the least supportive of my post-breakup depression. She kept trying to convince me to go out and have fun, but I wouldn't budge. It put a rift between us, for sure. I also wasn't too nice to her when I got home from the beach that day either.

* * *

" _You promised! You promised that there was nothing else and that he loved me! You suck! You all suck!" I screamed at everyone who cared to listen. I felt so betrayed by them._

" _Danielle Amelia Cullen you need to calm down and think about how you are speaking to your brothers and sisters," Dad chastised._

"I _need to think about how I am treating them? They knew! Edward and Alice knew all along and they never told me! It's not fair! It's not fair that I was the_ last _person to find out! I hate you, I hate all of you!" I said, breaking down. I was so heartbroken. Jasper tried to calm me down with his talent, but I wasn't having it._

" _Stop! I don't want to calm down! Don't touch me!" I said, and pulled away from him. I was having a fit similar to a toddler, kicking and screaming. Dad came and held me down._

" _You're going to hurt yourself, relax, love," He said, holding me. I kept kicking and screaming. If anyone were to have walked in, they would probably have thought that I was dying._

" _Dani, we tried to tell you that he would hurt you-" Alice started when I had finally relaxed a little, but I cut her off._

" _Bullshit!" I yelled. "You don't get to pull that card right now! You should have told me that my boyfriend was a lying sack of shit,_ that's _what you should have told me!" She looked so hurt, but at that moment, I didn't care. I was so mad._

" _Danielle," Edward said. He was defeated though, there was nothing any of them could do._

" _I know you are hurting, but you need to stop," He finally said. "We might have been wrong to keep this from you, but your behavior is completely childish. There is no need for a temper tantrum right now."_

" _Daddy let go of me," I said softly, finally thinking clearly. I knew that he would let me go if I asked. I wanted to hurt them. I wanted to hurt them all like they had hurt me._

" _I wish you all had just let that vampire kill me," I spat out when I was finally out my dad's grip. His eyes widened with my confession. Others were shocked and hurt. Good._

" _You don't mean that," Mom choked out._

" _I do. You should never have adopted me. I hate you all," I said, and stomped upstairs. I slammed my door, threw myself on my bed, and cried until I couldn't breathe anymore._

* * *

"It's true. I don't have any more friends and the friends I do have just look at me like I'm pathetic. I hate school," I complained.

"Come on, it's Bella's birthday today. We're having the party later, remember?" Alice said, trying to cheer me up.

"I'm going to go take a shower," I said, making my way to the bathroom and ignoring Alice. It seemed like all I could do these days was hurt my family.

* * *

" _She's still crying?" I could hear someone say from outside my door. I was done hyperventilating and was just plain ugly crying at this point._

" _She's going through a range of different emotions – hurt, betrayal, sadness, grief, it's all normal, but it hurts. I wish she'd let me help her," Another voice said._

" _She needs her space. These past few months have been hard on her. She's still trying to find her place in our world, now more than ever. Bella is sure of her path, and we are sure of hers. Danielle doesn't want what Bella wants and struggles with that," Someone else said._

" _Go away!" I yelled. I didn't need to hear them talking about me. If they were going to do it they could do it out of my hearing range._

" _We love you," I heard Mom say. It nearly made me start crying again._

" _I love you too," I said softly._ I don't really hate you _, I thought to myself._

* * *

Edward, Alice and I waited for Bella to arrive at school so we could wish her a happy birthday. Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett graduated for the umpteenth time last spring. It was killing Jasper not to be here with Alice every day, but it was amusing the hell out of me.

"Happy birthday Bella!" Alice squealed as soon as Bella was in earshot. Bella cringed.

"Shh," Bella said, giving Alice a hug.

"Do you want to open your presents now or later?" Alice offered.

"Alice, I told you no presents," Bella groaned. We all smiled. No one says no presents to Alice.

"Later, then," Alice grinned. "Did you like the scrapbook your mom sent you? And the camera from Charlie?"

"Yeah, they're great," Bella nodded.

" _I_ think it's a good idea. You're only a senior once, might as well document the experience," I told Bella, shrugging.

"How many times have _they_ been seniors?" Bella countered.

"That's different," Alice said, quickly.

"So, as discussed, I'm not allowed to wish you a happy birthday, is that correct?" Edward said, finally speaking up.

"Yes, that's correct," Bella said, kissing him.

"Ew," I commented. Edward glared, then turned back to Bella.

"Just checking, you _might_ have changed your mind. Most people tend to enjoy things like birthdays and gifts," Edward explained.

"Of course you'll enjoy it," Alice laughed. "Everyone is supposed to be nice to you today and give you your way, Bella. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Getting older," Bella spat out. I laughed.

"Eighteen isn't very old," I told Bella. "You've got until you're 29 until you can really freak out over your age."

"It's older than Edward," Bella explained, blushing. _Oh geez_ , I thought.

"Technically," I told her. "Just by one little year, though. And also technically, he's got you beat by a century. He's an old man, trust me."

"You just had to get that out there, didn't you," Edward complained.

"Hey, I'm backing you up, _great-uncle Edward_ ," I exaggerated the last part. He rolled his eyes. Edward was going to get me back for that old man comment, I was sure of it. He nodded. Shit.

"So Bella, what time will you be at the house?" Alice asked, changing the subject again.

"I didn't know I had plans to be there," Bella dodged. _Run Bella, while you still can._ Edward snorted.

"Oh be fair Bella!" Alice whined. "You aren't going to ruin all the fun, are you?"

"I thought my birthday was about what _I_ want?" Bella defended. She had a point.

"I'll get her from Charlie's right after school," Edward answered, completely ignoring Bella.

"I have to work," Bella protested. She was going to go through every excuse in the book.

"You don't actually," I told her. "Alice made me call Mrs. Newton and ask to switch your shifts. Mike's going to cover for you. They say happy birthday." Bella glared at me.

"I still can't come over," Bella started, thinking of a new excuse. "I – I still haven't watched _Romeo and Juliet_ for English yet."

"You have _Romeo and Juliet_ memorized," Alice snorted. Bella, you're doomed.

"Mr. Berty said we needed to see it performed to fully appreciate it – that's how Shakespeare intended it to be presented."

"You've already seen the movie, too," I countered. If I was going to have to go through this party, Bella was showing up.

"But not the nineteen sixties version, Mr. Berty said it was the best."

"This can be easy, or this can be hard, Bella. One way or another…" Alice trailed. Edward waved her off.

"Relax, Alice. If Bella wants to watch a movie, she can. It's her birthday," Edward said.

"So there," Bella said, and I could tell she wanted to stick out her tongue. At least, that's what I would have done.

"I'll bring her over around seven. That will give you more time to set up." Alice's face lit up. Bella's fell dramatically.

"Sounds good," Alice laughed maniacally. "See you tonight Bella! It'll be fun, you'll see!" Alice grinned, pecked Bella on the cheek and danced off to class before anyone could argue with her.

"What's your first class?" Edward asked me.

"Trig," I told him. I was taking a lot of the same classes they did last year.

"Good luck," Bella warned me. I didn't need it. I wasn't at all convinced that I would even remotely do well in Trig.

* * *

The day passed and I survived another day of junior year. I got nasty glares from the seniors who liked Andrew and believed whatever cockamamie excuse he came up with for our break up over the summer. If anyone cared to ask me the truth I would tell them. I learned quickly though that they were going to think what they wanted to believe, and it was much less painful if I didn't try to fix their minds.

Alice and I drove home together so that Edward could go with Bella. Apparently Alice had seen her make up different escape routes all day, so she was nervous.

"You don't need to impress her, you know. Edward does a good enough job of that for all of us. She's crazy about him," I told Alice.

"I know, I just want this to be special for her," Alice said. I shrugged. Alice always went above and beyond for the people she cared about. Hell would freeze over before I didn't have a birthday party with my family on my special day. Why would it be any different for Bella now that she was a part of the family?

We got home and Jasper was waiting for us at the door. He heard us pull in. He kissed Alice and hugged me and I went upstairs to work on some homework before Alice and Mom were going to make me help set up.

"Danielle!" Alice called to me.

"I don't understand why you want my help, you can get it all done much faster without me!" I complained.

"None of us eat cake!" She defended. Well, if it had to do with cake…

"What's up?" I asked, coming downstairs. My family was crowded in the kitchen.

"Mom's going to make a cake, but we don't know what tastes good. Find a recipe and tell Mom what you think Bella will like," Alice explained before disappearing.

"Funfetti is always a good choice," I told her, "then again, Bella is more of a chocolate girl. Go with this recipe," I said, pointing to one in her book. It was triple chocolate trifecta: chocolate cake, chocolate filling, and chocolate frosting. Bella would love it, and so would I.

I went back upstairs, but it wasn't long before someone else was knocking on my door.

"What do you people _want_?" I groaned. I needed some space.

"Am I not allowed to see my little sister anymore?" I heard a booming voice say from the other side. I opened the door to reveal my goofy big brother and my gorgeous big sister who had abandoned me for Africa a few weeks ago.

"Emmett!" I yelled and jumped into his arms.

"You sure look a lot better than when I last saw you," Rosalie pointed out from behind him. Emmett passed me over to her and I hugged them.

"What are you doing back here? I thought you were staying for a month?"

"Emmett wanted to be back in time for Bella's birthday," Rosalie explained.

"Good," I said. "I missed you guys," I admitted. It was never the same when someone wasn't here, it just didn't feel right.

"We missed you too munchkin," Emmett said, messing with my hair. "It's almost seven, you should come down. Bella and Edward will be here soon."

"I have to change," I said, frightened of what Alice would do if I wore my sweats to Bella's party. Everyone would be dressed up and then there would be me. Scrubtacular Danielle.

"I'll do your hair, I missed doing that while I was away," Rosalie said, stepping into my room. I nodded that would be nice.

She did my hair very quickly and we headed downstairs. Everything looked beautiful. There were Japanese lanterns and bright lights, and flowers lined every piece of the room.

"You really didn't hold back, did you Alice?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"Nobody can hold me back," Alice smiled. I laughed. I looked outside to see Bella and Edward pulling into the driveway. It was show time.


	25. Standing Room Only

TEASER

Mom and Dad were the closest to the door, and the first to greet Bella when she walked in.

"Sorry about this, Bella," My dad said, "we tried to rein Alice in."

Both Mom and Dad hugged her, and then stepped out of the way so that others could give their greetings.

"You haven't changed at all," Emmett's booming voice said. "I expected a perceptible difference, but here you are, red-faced just like always."

"Thanks a lot, Emmett," Bella blushed.

"I have to step out for a second," Emmett winked at Alice, "Don't do anything funny while I'm gone." Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper had all pitched in to get Bella a new stereo for her truck. There was some vendetta against her truck for some reason. I didn't have a problem with it. Then again, I didn't drive.

"I'll try," Bella said.

"Happy birthday, Bella," I told her, smiling and hugging her as well. She smiled back. I had also broken the no gifts rule, but my gift was nowhere near as crazy as the rest of my family's.

Alice and Jasper both welcomed Bella and then Alice ushered us all into another room.

"Time to open presents!" Alice declared as we entered the other room. Bella looked pissed.

"Alice, I _know_ I told you I didn't want anything-"

"And I didn't listen," Alice smirked. "Open this one first."

Bella tore off the paper to reveal a box. An empty one. She looked confused for a second and then turned to everyone and said thanks. That got a few giggles.

"It's a stereo for your truck," Jasper explained, smiling. "Emmett's installing it right now so that you can't return it."

"Thanks Jasper, Rosalie," Bella told them. "Thanks Emmett!" She shouted a little bit louder. I cringed.

"Open Dani's next," Alice said, handing her my much smaller box. Bella looked at me in betrayal.

"Not you too," She complained. I shook my head.

"I didn't spend anything, I promise," I smiled. She opened the box to reveal two friendship bracelets that I had made. They had the infinity sign tied into the pattern. She smiled.

"Thanks, Dani," she said, taking my wrist and putting one on me.

"I just figured you know, us humans need to stick together. We're in this for the long run," I laughed. She did too.

"You know it," She said, hugging me.

"Sure, my _sister_ gets to give you gifts," Edward complained. Bella stuck her tongue out at him.

"Open mine and Edward's next," Alice said excited that we finally got to her own gift.

"You promised," Bella glared at Edward. Emmett came rushing back in, afraid he was going to miss the gift.

"Just in time," He said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"I didn't spend a dime," Edward promised. Just like me, had been very careful with loopholes.

"Give it to me," Bella sighed and Alice handed her the package. Bella started to open it.

"Shoot!" She said, getting a papercut.

I'm still not quite sure of what happened next. All I know is, I really should not have been standing next to Jasper.

 **A/N: Okay, so this is where I get really cruel. This is something that should have gone in at the end of the last chapter, but I already published it and don't want anyone to miss it. The cruel part is since this week is getting busier and busier, I'm not sure I can update again until Thursday, which means you'll have to chew on this for a while**


	26. Goodbye

GOODBYE

Jasper's one focus was Bella, which was clear. As soon as Edward made a move, Jasper followed, trying to get through a hole. I, however, was collateral damage to that hole, simply because I was in the wrong space at the wrong time.

You see, when Bella got a paper cut, I had already moved to go grab a band aid. I moved right into Jasper's quickest path between him and Bella. The hunter and the prey. I had forgotten that while Jasper was used to my blood by now, he was certainly not used to Bella's. It was my mistake.

I don't really know what happened next, because I heard Edward push Bella back onto a table, but at the same time that happened, Jasper charged right into me, sending my body flying into the wall. I hit my head, and I blacked out.

* * *

I used to have nightmares when I first moved in with the Cullens. At first, the only one who I would respond to was Dad. He was the one who saved me, and I associated him with safety. He was the only one I would want when I woke up.

The nightmares always worked the same. I saw the fight between my parents, my mom packed me up, we drove off, and then we crashed. That wasn't the scary part. That was the reality.

The scary part was the screaming. The red eyes that I saw in the distance, and then get closer and closer. My mom telling me to get up and run, but me not being able to move. Then, I look up, and the red eyes are my father. The one who hurt us. He's killing her, and there's nothing I can do about it. Then, he comes for me. The nightmare stops right before he tries to kill me too.

At the time, I didn't know that there was some truth to that. I was five, and it was scary. Dad was always the one who could wake me up, until one day, he had to go back on a night shift. I was screaming, and he wasn't there.

Jasper was the one who woke me up that first night. He was the one who held me until I calmed down, and he replaced the scary feelings with comfortable ones. Instead of Dad, he was the one who I started to associate with safety.

Throughout the years, Jasper became my protector. If I was scared, I went to him. If someone or something hurt me, I went to him. He was the one who got rid of all the monsters in my bedroom when I was seven. He was the one who killed the bees that snuck into my bedroom. He was the one that saved me from my nightmares.

So I was shocked when I woke up in the hospital for the first time, and felt afraid to see my brother. He was standing there, and then when he felt my fear, he ran away. No one else was in the room, so I was alone again. I fell back asleep.

* * *

When I woke up the second time, Dad, Mom, and Edward were there. Dad was checking my chart and Mom was holding my hand.

"It's okay, you're safe," Edward said suddenly, causing my mom to tighten her grip on my hand and start running her fingers through my hair.

"Bella?" I asked, suddenly remembering the situation I was in.

"She's fine," Edward said.

"How are you feeling?" Dad asked.

"Not good, everything hurts," I complained, finally taking it all in.

"Do you know where you are?" He asked.

"The hospital," I answered.

"What's your name?"

"Danielle Cullen."

"When's your birthday?"

"May 21."

"That's good," he said.

"What's the damage?" I asked them.

"You hit your head hard, that's why you blacked out. You've been out for a few days. You have a concussion, and your shoulder got dislocated. A few other bumps and bruises, but that was the major damage," Mom said. That would explain the all over pain, and the pounding in my head. The lights didn't help.

"I can turn them off," Edward offered.

"That would be nice," I told him. The lights went off.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked, sitting up. Mom tried to push me back down, but I shook my head. It was time to get back to real life.

"Well, that's what we wanted to talk to you about, love," Dad said. "But only if you feel up for it. I don't want to upset you, right now."

"What do you mean upset me?" I asked. Was something wrong? "You said Bella was okay," I spat out and my heart monitor went haywire. Dad quickly came to me and checked everything. I was just anxious.

"Darling, you need to relax. You can't afford to mess with your vitals right now," he said, grabbing the hand that wasn't already occupied. Edward still sat in the corner of the room. He looked terrible.

"What's going on," I demanded. They weren't getting out of it now.

"Bella is okay, but she got hurt. She got hurt and so did you," Edward started. "You both could have been killed. If Jasper wasn't already so immune to your blood, you would have been."

"But no one died," I clarified. He shook his head.

"Not _this_ time," he said. "Bella is hell bent on staying with me forever, but this life…it isn't safe for her. She is not going to leave me, not even after the events at her birthday party, so I have to leave her. The family has agreed to follow my lead and leave Forks."

"No no no no no no" I started and I didn't stop. I was hyperventilating again, now. I couldn't leave. Not right now. I know I had joked about it before, but it wasn't what I actually wanted. I couldn't leave Tyler and Mariana and Bella, I couldn't. I couldn't start over again, not in my junior year. Not when everyone already understood us.

"Deep breaths, Dani," Dad coached, rubbing my back.

"What do you mean the _family_ agreed?" I asked once I cooled down. "Am I not a part of this family anymore? Do I not get a vote? I nearly died too, does that mean you're leaving me?"

Oh God…they were going to give me up. This was it. It was over. The past twelve years of my life, that happiness, that love, it was all going to be gone. They were going to drop me off at the office in Port Angeles and I was going to age out of the system. I was going to lose everything. Not only my friends, but my family.

"Dani, stop, Dani, no," Edward finally came over to my bed, holding my hysterical body. I was crying now too on top of the hyperventilation. I felt like I was going to throw up and pass out. A nurse came in, but Dad waved her off.

"You are not going anywhere," Edward said. "You are staying with Carlisle and Esme, your mom and your dad. You are a Cullen, and you will always be a Cullen."

"But you're leaving Bella," I stated. "For the same reasons you should be leaving me. It doesn't make sense. I'm a human too. I'm in just as much danger as she is."

"Do you know how many times I have considered that since you came to live with us?" Edward said, a little aggravated now. I cringed a little at his harsh tone, and he relaxed.

"The difference between you and Bella is that she is capable of a life without me. She will move on and continue to be Charlie's daughter and Jessica's friend and maybe even be Mike's girlfriend someday," Edward choked out. "With you, we tried to make this decision a long time ago and it was made very clear that you would not have a good quality of life if you did not stay with us. If we desert you, you have nothing. You wouldn't know love and you wouldn't be okay. You wouldn't be someone's daughter, someone's friend, or someone's girlfriend. You wouldn't be that, because you were already Carlisle and Esme's daughter, and our sister. There was nothing else this world could give you."

"And last night didn't change that?" I asked him.

"Leaving you here is not an option, Danielle," My mom finally spoke up. "Rosalie and Emmett are packing the house. We are going back to Denali. Alice and Jasper will meet us there."

"What about you?" I asked, looking at Edward.

"Danielle, now really isn't the time. Your recovery requires that you-"

"What. About. You?" I demanded again.

"I'm going off on my own for a little while," he confessed. I nodded knowingly.

"Why do you have to go?" I asked him. He wouldn't be leaving if it wasn't for a good reason.

"I need to make sure Bella is as safe as possible if I'm not going to be there to protect her," Edward said. I knew what he meant.

"You're going to find the female from the field," I said. He nodded.

"I'm going to track her, yes," He said.

"Do I get to say goodbye to Bella?" I asked, finally defeated.

"I asked the family not to. It will be easier for her if it is a clean break. It's better to not prolong it by providing multiple goodbyes," I started to cry again. I was going to be alone again.

"You will never be alone," Edward said, hugging me. _You know that's not what I mean_ , I thought at him. "I know," he said. "I know."

A few minutes later, when I was finally calmed down. Dad left to go find a nurse to give me my medication. They came back, she administered the meds and I fell asleep shortly after. I was going to be in a completely new world when I woke up, and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not. At least, for now, I had my drug-induced dreams.

 **A/N: I did it! I feel less bad about the chapter that I posted last night, because I feel better about leaving you all with this for a few days :) Thank you all for your incredible feedback and have a great Memorial Day Weekend if you're in the U.S!**


	27. The Reason

THE REASON

I was five years old the first time I was nearly killed by a vampire. It was, unbeknownst to me, the car accident that killed my mother. Jasper told me in the hotel room that it was a nomad passing through, and that it was a miracle that he didn't kill me, that Edward and Carlisle got to me before he did.

The second time was a little over a year later when I found out what my family was. I tripped down the stairs, bumped my head, and got a cut. Emmett caught my scent and nearly attacked me before Rosalie got him to leave.

The third time was last week, with Jasper. He didn't care that I was human and delicate. He was the predator, Bella was the prey, and I was injured in the crossfire. In the end, my injuries were more fatal than Bella's. I had a severe concussion, was unconscious for three days, and was now going to be on a recovery path here in Alaska for at least two months. I'm lucky that they think I'll make a full recovery.

These reasons are why I don't understand why I am any different than Bella. In the hospital, Edward said that the difference between Bella and me was that she had a life outside of our family. She could be human and live a fulfilling life.

Before now, I never really thought about what my life would be like if it weren't for my family. Since we moved back to Alaska, it was all I could think about.

From what Alice told me, I didn't have much of a future. My mom died and my dad signed his rights away, meaning that I would have been in foster care and be eligible for adoption. Alice, however, said that adoption would never have happened.

I wondered what Bella was feeling right now. How torn apart she must have been. Edward became her world during the short time he was in her life. Carlisle and Esme became her pseudo-parents, making up for her mother, who now lived across the country, and her father, who never had to raise a child, and therefore, never learned. With Carlisle and Esme, Bella got to be the daughter she was supposed to be. Just like I got to be the daughter I was supposed to be when the universe took that away from me. Then there were my siblings, who, for a short while, I got to share with Bella. Siblings that she never thought she was going to get. A goofy big brother and a sister who treated her like a Barbie Doll. She complained about it, but I knew Bella enjoyed every minute, just like I do.

If I lost any of them, I would be heartbroken. I would be lost. I would be alone. I'm sure Bella is feeling all of that now that we are all gone.

That's what led me to reach out to her. To try and call her. Just to hear her voice and make sure she was okay. Make sure that she was still alive. I didn't know if I would be if my family left me like they left her. Alice was watching out for her, even though Edward asked her not to, but I needed to know for myself.

Unfortunately, Alice was looking into my future as well.

"What do you think you're doing?" Alice said, barging into my room as I pressed the call button on my cell phone. She ripped it out of my hand and turned it off, praying that the call didn't go through.

"I need to hear her voice, Alice," I told her sternly. She looked sad.

"Edward said-"

"Do you think I give a damn about what Edward said?" I rolled my eyes at Alice. Edward was getting on my last nerve these past few weeks. He left. What did he care? 

"Dani…"

"I'm serious, Alice. Give me back my phone," I warned her. I wasn't supposed to get out of bed to chase her around, but I would if it meant I got my phone back.

"I can't," Alice said sadly. "Please don't hurt yourself," she said, seeing my future. I was furious.

"I don't understand why I'm so different from her," I finally said. I couldn't say her name in front of Alice. It made everything too real.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked, knowing, but not wanting to give me the answer.

"I've been nearly killed more times than Bella has. Jasper hurt me more than he hurt her. You've all almost killed me before in one way or another. Why is living with me any less dangerous than having her in our lives? It doesn't make sense to me and she's hurt and broken right now and you know it. There's no way you can't see her."

"Danielle, you need to calm down, you're stressing out too much," Alice tried to evade my attack. It didn't work.

"Answer me Alice!" I yelled, cringing a little at the pain in my head. Suddenly, Jasper came running up. I hadn't seen him since the accident.

"What's going on?" He asked, going to Alice. I froze when I saw him. I didn't know why I was afraid, but I was. He glanced at me and then back at Alice.

"He's not going to hurt you, Dani," Alice said softly, reading my reaction to her husband.

"I know that," I said, ashamed that I was afraid of my own brother. I started to cry. "This is so fucked up," I confessed.

"I know it is," Alice said. "I know you don't want to hear this, but I really didn't want to leave her, Dani. I _do_ see her. I see every day how broken she is and I look every day to see if she's going to end it all. I can only hope that she'll hold on long enough for Edward to come to his senses but he's so stubborn. You know that. He's stubborn and it will never work if he doesn't believe in himself."

"If she kills herself he will never come back," I said to no one in particular.

"I am watching as much as I can to make sure that doesn't happen," Alice consoled me, coming to sit on my bed. Jasper didn't dare move any closer.

"I'm not afraid of you," I told him. He shook his head.

"I never apologized to you for the party. I wasn't in control, I didn't mean-"

"Jazz, let it go. I'm okay now," I told him, wishing he'd come closer. I needed my safety net right now.

"Jazz, come here," Alice said. "It's okay."

Jasper came and sat on the edge of the bed. He slowly reached his hand out and rubbed my back while Alice hummed a song that Edward used to play for me. I missed him so much, and I think that was a part of why I felt so crummy. Not having Jasper, or Edward, or Bella in my life for the past few weeks was destroying me. I finally got one brother back, now I needed to get the other one.


	28. Broken

DENALI

Life in Denali was different.

For one, none of us went to school. Dad enrolled me in online classes so that I wouldn't fall behind since I was the only one who hadn't completed school yet, but I didn't start my classes until the end of January anyways due to my concussion, that took until then to fully recover.

Secondly, the mood was different than the last time. Bella brought a new energy to our home, and that absence was hard to get used to. I could tell people tried to be cheery for me, but things were just different. Bella wasn't here. Edward wasn't here. Rosalie and Emmett took this sabbatical from everyday life to travel around a bit, so they were barely here. It was like there was a giant hole in my family that no one could fill, because everyone felt the same way.

We were staying with my cousins: Tanya, Kate, Irina, Eleazar, and Carmen. They all knew I was struggling here, but they tried to stay out of it as much as possible. I never really liked Irina, but I got along okay with Tanya and Kate. Carmen was like another mother to me, and I was actually very close with Eleazar. He was easy to talk to.

"Hey girlie," Someone said, sitting down next to me. I was currently waiting for Alice and Jasper to return from their hunting trip. My dad was at work – he picked up some shifts at the local hospital where he worked last time – and my mom was grocery shopping.

"Hey Tanya," I said, looking at who it was. Every once in a while she'd try to cheer me up. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

"I just wanted to let you know that Irina is going to have a friend over later, and he's a bit new to this lifestyle."

"So you don't want me around," I concluded, nodding. _Great._

"That's not what I said, Dani," Tanya responded. "I'm just telling you that you need to be careful. Irina is confident that everything will be okay if you're around, but just try not to hurt yourself."

"No papercuts," I shivered, remembering Bella's birthday party. Tanya smiled hesitantly.

I went upstairs to change before our _guest_ arrived. I didn't really like being here when other vampires were, just because while my family was good about only bringing vegetarians around while I was home, my cousins didn't have the same courtesy, and the red eyes made me uncomfortable.

I went downstairs, bundled up for a hike. I'd probably get yelled at for not telling anyone where I was going, but I guess they were welcome to join me if they'd like.

"Danielle?" I heard someone ask. Irina.

"I'm in here," I said, yelling from the kitchen. I was grabbing some water before I left.

"I want you to meet someone," she said, pulling a man along beside here. I took one look and dropped my glass.

"This is Laurent," she smiled. "We've been seeing each other."

I didn't respond. I didn't know I was _capable_ of responding. It was the man with the dreadlocks from the baseball field. He was here. He wasn't a vegetarian. We killed his coven-mate.

"Danielle? Aren't you going to say anything?" Irina snarled. I didn't take my eyes off of Laurent. His eyes weren't red anymore, but they weren't the same color as my family's either.

"Irina, don't worry. We've met before. It has been wonderful to see you again Miss Danielle," Laurent said, nodding his head. I didn't dare to breathe or move.

As soon as he was out of sight I ran upstairs to my room, ripped off my jacket, crawled into my closet, and curled into a ball. I sat there and rocked back and forth. I was shaking and crying and I couldn't breathe right. _He_ was here. Public enemy number one. _He_ was in my house. My safe place. _He_ was here.

"Danielle?" A man's voice said. I started screaming. _Please don't kill me._

"Danielle? Are you okay?" The voice said again. Arms tried to pick me up, but I hit them away, doing nothing but hurt myself. I didn't want anyone to touch me right now.

"Oh my God, Dani," A woman's voice said. "Should I call Carlisle?"

"No, I can handle this," the man's voice said. I still sat and rocked and didn't care to figure out who was there.

"Danielle, you're having a panic attack, just take some deep breaths okay?" The man's voice said. I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. Real subtle when your house was full of vampires.

"You are safe. No one is going to hurt you, love," he tried to reach out to rub my back, but I shrank back into the wall. _Don't touch me._

"It's Eleazar, love, I'm not going to hurt you. No one is going to hurt you, you are safe," He repeated. _Eleazar._ But where was Laurent? I kept rocking.

"He's gone," I heard another voice, another man's voice say. Who was _he_?

"Laurent is gone, Danielle, you're safe now," the voice kept saying. "Thank you Eleazar, but I've got it from here." I heard bodies shuffle, and all of a sudden there was a hand on my back, making me calm again. I tried to push it away, but the calm was too strong. The rocking stopped, my breathing went back to normal, and I felt the exhaustion. The man, Jasper, pulled me up onto his lap and let me lean on him. We didn't leave the closet.

"I bet that brought back a lot of stuff for you," Jasper said. I nodded into his chest. I was still crying.

"I want to go home," I mumbled, but I knew he caught what I said. He glanced at someone out the door, and out of my line of view.

"I know you do, little darlin', I know," He started rubbing my back again.

"It's not fair," I said. "I miss my friends. I miss going to school. I miss my human life."

My _human_ life. It was how I classified the two pieces of myself. Human life Danielle and vampire life Danielle. Here in Alaska, it was vampire life 24/7 and for me, it was exhausting. Human Danielle had friends, a boyfriend, and hopes and dreams. Vampire Danielle had family, but a scary unknown future.

"I know," Jasper said, sadly. He blamed himself. He shouldn't.

"Can't I just go back to visit? See my friends? I don't even have to see Bella," I said softly.

"You can't, Dani, you know that," Alice said. I didn't know she was in the room.

In that moment, my sadness turned to anger again. Why did I have to suffer because of who my family was? Why was I being punished for something that I didn't do? It really wasn't fair. I hated them. I hated them for keeping me and for making me live my life this way.

"You are allowed to be mad," Jasper said, feeling what I felt. "You're allowed to be whatever you need to be, but you can't go home."

"Why did you do this to me?" I cried. It came out a lot harsher than I meant it, and while I intended it to be directed at the family as a whole, Jasper took it personally. He was hurt.

"It was an accident, Dani," Jasper said.

"I'm not talking about _you_ ," I groaned. "Why did you make me be a part of this? Why couldn't you just let me go to some orphanage? I'd be safer."

"You wouldn't be loved and that wasn't a chance I was willing to take. Not for a beautiful, bright, amazing girl like you," another voice said, coming into the room. I looked up for the first time. Edward was back.

"Edward!" I called and ran to him. His eyes were dark, and he froze when I hugged him. I didn't realize what happening until Jasper was pulling me away.

"You're an idiot for coming here when you're this thirsty," Alice said.

"Tanya called," he explained. "She wasn't going to listen to anyone but me and you know it."

"You could have hunted on the way," Alice reprimanded. "After everything that has happened it's foolish to put her in this much danger."

"I would _never_ hurt her," Edward snarled. Jasper kept me behind him. This was ridiculous.

"Enough!" I shouted, going in between all of the vampires.

"Look, things haven't been easy these past few months. I've been going through a weird depression thing, and you guys have been doing your own things. I haven't seen Emmett or Rosalie in weeks, you've been gone since we left, and Jasper, you've been moping in guilt since Bella's birthday." Edward cringed when I said her name out loud.

"You don't like it when I say her name?" I challenged him. Alice gave me a look telling me to stop here. I didn't listen.

"Bella is hurting. Bella isn't going to get over you like some independent woman who don't need no man, because she loved you. You know how I know that? I was with Andrew for two years. _Years_ and we didn't have the love that you two had in the _months_ that you were together. When he cheated on me with Fiona, it broke me. I still can hardly think about him without falling apart. The worst part is that I know that if he were to show up here with flowers and a 'Forgive Me?' card and mariachi band, I'm not sure I could turn him away because we loved each other enough for that. You and Bella had so much more than we had. _That's_ how I know that she is broken right now. _That's_ how I know that there is a hole in her chest that no one can repair, because that's how I feel about Andrew, and you two had so much more. It makes me _sick_ to know that you think she'll just get over you like you're day old tuna," I finished my rant. It was something that I had been holding in since he left. Since I found out _how_ he left her. Crying in the woods. I would have died then and there if Andrew did that to me.

Edward didn't say anything. He just turned around and left. Alice and Jasper looked at me with wide eyes wondering what the hell just happened. I couldn't look at them.

I broke my family. Again.


	29. Denial

DENIAL

 _It was storming outside. The thunder was deafening and the lightning was blinding. It went from pitch black to bight as day every time the lightning struck. My mom was driving, telling me that everything would be okay. Then we crashed, and everything went black._

 _I opened my eyes to see a man standing over my mother's body. He was dark as night, but had eyes as red as blood. He had dreadlocks. He looked up, and suddenly he transformed into a woman. A woman with fiery hair and dangerous eyes. She started climbing into the car and came closer. I struggled against the seat, trying to get away. Just as she reached me, she turned into a blonde man. It was James. He crouched down to my level and smiled his cheeky smile before he sank his teeth into my neck._

"No!" I screamed, waking up in bed. Suddenly, my whole family was in the room. Nobody expected the threat to be a nightmare.

"Baby, what happened?" Mom said worriedly, but calm now that it was clear there was no physical threat.

"It's just a nightmare, I'm fine," I told her, trying to catch my breath. "I'm fine," I repeated, more for myself. James was dead. Edward was hunting Victoria. Laurent, well, Laurent was trying to change, I guess.

I took a good look at my family's faces. Something was wrong. Everyone was stressed. Too stressed to be a result of my nightmare. Also, my mom was way too clingy.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I looked right at Alice, knowing that she'd tell me the truth.

"Alice saw something," Jasper answered for her. Dad glared at him and then looked back at me. My heart must have been racing. He came and sat down next to me.

"Oh God," I said, trembling now. "What's wrong? Who's hurt? What happened?" I started asking as many questions as I could, hoping at least some of them could be answered.

"I'm going to Forks," Alice said. "You were right about Bella," she added sadly. _No_.

I shook my head. If they had just listened from the start it wouldn't have been a problem.

"Can you get to her in time?" I asked Alice. She shook her head.

"But I can help Charlie," Alice replied. This was terrible.

"I want to go, too. I was close to Charlie too," I told her. Alice looked at Dad.

"She has a point," Alice said. "You know I would never let anything happen to her."

"It's up to you, love," Dad said. "If you think that's what will help you heal, then that's what you need. We're all here for you."

"We have to leave soon," Alice said. "We're flying out at 4:00. I'll book your seat when we get to the airport."

"Okay, I guess it's a good thing I woke up, then," I said, getting out of bed. Alice nodded and started packing a bag.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Jasper asked, coming up next to me.

"Bella was the closest I had to a real best friend. She knew every part of me. Parts that I could never tell Tyler, or Andrew, or Mariana. I could be human world Danielle _and_ vampire world Danielle. I owe her everything for letting me have that. If there's anything I can do to help the people who loved her as much as I did, I want to be there for that."

"Alright then," Jasper nodded.

"Why aren't you going?" I asked him. It was rare that he and Alice weren't together.

"Edward explicitly said that none of us were to go to Forks, for one. Alice doesn't mind getting on his bad side but me, I have to get back on his good side still. Second, I'm not sure how much of a help I'd be. I'd be there for Alice, of course, but what could I do for Charlie? It's better I do damage control here. Edward will be destroyed when he finds out."

"I know," I said sadly. My poor brother.

"Dani, it's time to go," Alice said.

"Alright," I moved to the front of the house. My family was there waiting for me.

Leaving was hard. I knew my family was hurting. _I_ was hurting. But I had to do this. I meant what I said about Bella. I couldn't help but hope that maybe we'd get there in time. Maybe something changed and Alice missed it. I guess the only reason I hadn't fallen apart again was my denial. Bella had to be alive. If Bella was gone forever, it would change everything, and I wasn't about to let that happen.


	30. Werewolves

The flight was an excruciating three and a half hours.

Alice was looking into the future. Trying to find something to hold on to.

I was nervous as hell. This would be the first time I was home since the Cullens disappeared in September. I didn't know if people were still talking about us, or forgot that we existed.

When we first move, a few people called. The story my parents told the school was that I had been riding my bike without a helmet and fell and hit my head. Something tells me I would have had much less damage done if _that_ was what happened, but it got me out of school long enough for the story to work.

The main offenders were Tyler and Mariana, of course. They wanted to come over, but my parents said it was better if they let me recover alone. Were they made that I never called back? Mad that they never got a chance to say goodbye? Did they move on and fill the hole or did they still miss me as much as I miss them?

Andrew even called once. He hadn't dared to call my phone since I found out about him and Fiona. He had tried to talk to me a few times in school, tried to apologize, but he never called. Unfortunately for him, Jasper was the one to answer. Needless to say, he didn't dare to call again. Were him and Fiona still together? Did he love me and worry about me enough for it to split them apart? What did his mother think?

"You should sleep a bit," Alice said, at one point during the flight. I think we were an hour or so in.

"I'm too nervous to sleep," I admitted. She nodded understanding. It was going to be a while until I slept again, I felt.

We got off the plane and booked it to a rental car that Jasper had set up for us. Neither of us checked luggage; for one, there was some leftover stuff at the house and two, we were only going to be here a little while. Everything could fit in a carry on.

Alice drove to Forks and in what normally would be a four hour drive for a human, Alice made it in a little over two hours.

"You can stay at the house if you want, until I figure things out," Alice said when we crossed into Forks. "You don't have to be there in the beginning, if you don't want to." Alice was still trying to give me an out.

"I want to be there," I told her sternly. Nothing was going to change my mind.

"Okay, then," Alice said. I watched out the window as we drove past all of the structures of what felt like a past life. My school. The Lodge. Even a few friend's houses. I shed a few tears when we switched cars at the house and I sat back in my Dad's Mercedes for the first time since we left.

Finally we pulled up to Bella's house. Nobody was home.

"Let's go," Alice said, getting out of the car.

"Alice, we can't just go into her house without anyone there!" I said. This was absurd.

"We can wait inside, I'm sure Charlie won't mind," Alice responded.

"You'll give him a heart attack," I mumbled, then realized that given the situation, my joke really wasn't that funny.

We waited around for a few hours and watched the sunset. I cried a little bit when I saw a picture Bella and I took together last summer. Alice came over and rubbed my back. We didn't want to touch anything, so I just played on my phone, waiting for Charlie to come home. I tried to ask Alice when he'd be here, but she said a lot of things were blank or fuzzy. Decisions that hadn't been made yet.

Finally, someone pulled up to the house. It was Bella's truck. It wasn't just her truck though, she got out of it. Bella was alive.

"Alice!" I said, jumping up after watching Bella through the window. Alice furrowed her brow and just shook her head.

"Something's not right," she said, walking to the front entrance. I followed her.

Bella came in and started reaching for the light switch, but Alice beat her to it.

Bella stared for a minute before realizing who was in front of her.

"Alice, oh Alice!" She cried, and jumped onto Alice.

"Bella?" Alice asked, confused. Bella was supposed to be dead.

Bella broke her hug with Alice and then looked around, making eye contact with me. I nearly broke into tears then and there when Bella ran over a hugged me.

"Danielle!" She said. She hugged me a little too tight.

"Alright, Bella," I said, laughing. It was the first time I had laughed in a long time.

Bella started gasping then, and her gasps turned into sobs. Alice carried her over to the couch and started rubbing her back. We _had_ broken her.

"I'm…sorry," Bella began, once she had control of herself again. "I'm just…so happy to see you!"

"I understand completely, Bells," I said, wiping a few tears away myself.

"It's okay, Bella," Alice comforted. "Everything's okay." I could tell Alice was relieved that Bella wasn't dead, even if she didn't understand it all yet.

"Yes," Bella bawled, relieved herself. She must have been having a really hard time here.

"I'd forgotten how exuberant you are," Alice noted. She seemed upset by Bella's reaction.

Bella must have noticed and then pulled away. That's when she got a good look at Alice's eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, moving closer towards me. I looked at my sister as well. Her eyes were as black as night.

"Alice, why didn't you hunt before we left?" I asked her. I hadn't noticed how dark her eyes had gotten since our trip began.

"There was no time," Alice said. "Which, by the way Bella, would you like to explain to me how you are still alive?"

"You saw me fall," Bella stated.

"No, Bella," Alice said, looking only at her. "I saw you _jump_."

I took a sharp breath in when she said that. I had never bothered to ask how Bella died, in fact, I tried hard not to think about it. Alice never brought it up, either, probably trying not to upset me.

"I told him this would happen, but he didn't believe me," Alice continued. "'Bella promised'" she mocked Edward. It wasn't like I didn't tell him either. He just didn't listen. "'Don't be looking for her future either, we've done enough damage'" she continued in a voice that sounded just like my brother. Bella was cringing at the sound. I grabbed her hand.

"But just because I'm not looking doesn't mean I don't _see_ ," Alice whined. "I wasn't keeping tabs on you, I swear, Bella. It's just that I'm already attuned to you. When I saw you jumping, I didn't think, I just got on a plane. If Danielle hadn't had a nightmare at the _exact_ same time I was having the vision," Alice glared at me, then continued, "She wouldn't even be here. I knew I would be too late, but I couldn't do nothing. And then I get here, thinking maybe I could help Charlie somehow, and you drive up." She shook her head, this time in confusion. Her voice was strained. "I saw you go into the water and I waited and waited for you to come up, but you didn't. What happened? And how could you do that to Charlie? Did you stop and think about what this would do to him? And my brother? Do you have _any_ idea what Edward-"

"Alice, I wasn't committing suicide," Bella cut her off as soon as Alice said Edward's name.

"Are you saying you didn't jump off a cliff?" Alice asked her, much like she did when I was little and I tried to lie to her. It never worked.

"No, but…" Bella started sheepishly. "It was for recreational purposes only," Bella finished.

"Holy crap, Bella," I let out, shocked. That's something I would do, _not_ Bella. I'd get killed afterwards by Edward for being so reckless, but I'd do it.

"I'd seen some of Jacob's friends cliff diving," Bella continued. "It looked like fun, and I was bored. I didn't think about how the storm would affect the currents. Actually, I didn't think about the water much at all."

Alice didn't buy it. She was still giving Bella that "You better tell me the truth" look.

"So if you saw me go in, why didn't you see Jacob?" Bella redirected. That was an _excellent_ point.

"Who even is Jacob?" I asked her. I'd never heard of him and I'm pretty sure he didn't go to our school.

"He's a friend from the reservation," Bella explained. I nodded. She continued. "I mean, it's true that I probably would have drowned if Jacob hadn't jumped in after me. Well, okay, there's no probably about it. But he did, and he pulled me out, and I guess he towed me back to shore, though I was kind of out for that part. It couldn't have been more than a minute that I was under before he grabbed me. How come you didn't see that?" Alice frowned at Bella's explanation. She didn't like it when she missed things.

"Someone pulled you out?" She asked.

"Yes. Jacob saved her, come on Alice pay attention," I told her. Alice glared and I thought she was going to bite my head off. Alice then turned to Bella, still puzzled. Finally, she sniffed Bella's shoulder and Bella froze. _What the hell are you doing?_

"Don't be ridiculous," she muttered, sniffing Bella again. Bella just looked at me and I shrugged. I couldn't be held accountable for Alice's behavior.

"What are you doing?" Bella asked her.

"Who was with you out there just now? It sounded like you were arguing," Alice questioned her.

"Jacob Black," Bella said. "He's… sort of my best friend, I guess. At least, he was…" Bella trailed off. I knew what that felt like.

"What, Alice?" I asked her. I could see the wheels in her head turning.

"I don't know," she said. "I'm not sure what it means."

"Well, I'm not dead, at least," Bella joked. Both Alice and I rolled our eyes.

"He was a fool to think you could survive alone. I've never seen anyone so prone to life-threatening idiocy."

"I survived," Bella pointed out. Alice was still thinking. She saw something in Bella's story that I was missing.

"So, if the currents were too much for you, how did this Jacob manage?"

"Jacob is… strong," Bella explained, but she was hesitant. Alice and I waited for her to finish her answer. "See, well, he's… sort of a werewolf," Bella finished.

"Are you shitting me?" I asked her. Alice ignored my outburst. One would think that by now, I'd be an expert on the supernatural world. Apparently, though, there are things even _I_ don't know.

"The Quileutes turn into wolves when there are vampires around. They know Carlisle from a long time ago," Bella explained. I looked at Alice.

"Were you one of us yet?" I asked her. Why would they keep something like this from me?

Alice looked absolutely shocked. She just sat there blinking for a few moments and then muttered "Well, I guess that explains the smell, but does it explain what I didn't see?"

"The smell?" I asked her. I didn't smell anything.

"Sorry Bella, but you smell awful," Alice threw out. "A werewolf? Are you sure about that?"

"Very sure," Bella said. "I guess you weren't with Carlisle the last time there were werewolves here in Forks?"

"No. I hadn't found him yet." Alice finally answered. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she turned to stare at Bella with a shocked expression. "Your best friend is a werewolf?" Bella nodded sheepishly. I laughed. _Go figure._ "How long has this been going on?"

"Not long," Bella defended. "He's only been a werewolf for just a few weeks." Alice gave Bella the same look she gave me when I forgave Andrew. Pure disappointment.

"A young werewolf? Even worse! Edward was right—you're a magnet for danger. Weren't you supposed to be staying out of trouble?"

"There's nothing wrong with werewolves," Bella grumbled.

"Until they lose their tempers," Alice scolded. I was so lost here. "Leave it to you, Bella. Anyone else would be better off when the vampires left town. But you have to start hanging out with the first monsters you can find."

"No, Alice, the vampires didn't really leave—not all of them, anyway," Bella added quickly, not giving me a chance to ask anything about these so called werewolves. "That's the whole trouble. If it weren't for the werewolves, Victoria would have gotten me by now. Well, if it weren't for Jake and his friends, Laurent would have gotten me before she could, I guess, so—"

"Victoria?" Alice hissed at the same time I said "Laurent?" The figures of my nightmares were more real than I thought. I shivered. Alice grabbed my hand, knowingly.

"Danger magnet, remember?" Bella joked. She had no idea how little of a joke it was.

"Tell me everything—start at the beginning," Alice demanded.

The town of Forks was a much more dangerous place than when we left it. I knew then that this certainly wasn't going to be the simple weekend trip that we planned it to be. Things were about to get ugly again.


	31. Catching Up

CATCHING UP

Bella told us everything about her life without us. She told us about how my idiot brother left her in the woods and how she went catatonic until January, when Charlie threatened to send her back to Florida with her mother so that she could get help. Then, she started hanging out with Jacob, and he fixed her. She mentioned cliff diving again, and was talking about a strange flame that she'd seen on the water and that she thought it meant that Victoria had been there with her. Alice didn't like that at all. Her eyes narrowed almost to slits at that part.

Her eyes were still so black, I knew she had to be in a lot of pain. Still, she didn't want to leave quite yet.

Bella told us about Harry Clearwater, who had passed away from a heart attack. Charlie was at his funeral now, I guess. Harry was a man from the reservation, someone whom I had never met before. While she was talking about Harry, she kind of trailed off. She was thinking about something. So was Alice.

"Our leaving didn't do you any good at all, did it?" Alice murmured after a few moments of silence. I felt terrible.

I laughed once—it was a slightly hysterical sound. "That was never the point, though, was it? It's not like you left for my benefit." She didn't understand. Edward _had_ left for her benefit. The only problem was he tried to force her into this decision. He would have never wanted to hurt her this way, the problem was he was too stubborn to listen to those of us who loved her too to realize that he did.

"Well… I guess I acted impulsively today. I probably shouldn't have intruded," Alice mumbled. I looked at Alice with wide eyes. _Please don't make me go back there._

"Don't go, Alice," Bella whispered, so low I could barely hear it. She locked her fingers around the collar of Alice's shirt and began to hyperventilate. "Please don't leave me."

Alice's eyes opened wider. "All right," she said, "I'm not going anywhere tonight. Take a deep breath."

It was during that silence that I really took in Bella's new appearance. She had lost weight, clearly. She wasn't much before, but at least she looked healthy. Now, it was all skin and bones. Her hair was a mess, but probably because she had an impromptu swim today. You could tell she was exhausted, though. The bags under her eyes were larger than they should be.

"You look like hell, Bella," I told her sadly.

"I drowned today," Bella responded, trying to joke. I shook my head.

"It goes deeper than that. You're a mess." Bella flinched.

"Look, I'm doing my best," she snapped.

"What do you mean?"

"It hasn't been easy. I'm working on it." I shook my head in anger. _He should have known. He should have listened to me. Or Alice. Or someone other than his stupid self._

"We told him," Alice said to herself. I didn't even know whether or not she was listening.

"Alice," I sighed. "What did you think you were going to find? I mean, besides me dead? Did you expect to find me skipping around and whistling show tunes? You know me better than that."

"I do. But I hoped."

"Then I guess I don't have the corner on the idiocy market." _Ouch._

After a few awkward moments of silence, the phone rang.

"That has to be Charlie," Bella said, staggering to her feet. Bella grabbed both of our hands before walking to the kitchen.

"Charlie?" Bella answered. We both stayed silent. I knew Alice could hear what was being said on the other line, but I couldn't.

"Jake!" Bella exclaimed. _It's the boy._

"I'm fine. I told you that it wasn't—" Bella sighed and hung up the phone. He must have hung up on her. "That's going to be a problem," she said.

"He sounds like a dick," I said, without thinking. Alice and Bella glared at me.

Alice squeezed Bella's hand. "They aren't excited we're here. _Me_ in particular."

"They don't know about Dani. But it's none of their business anyway," Bella defended.

Alice put her arm around Bella.

"So what do we do now?" I asked. We couldn't go home yet, I wouldn't allow it. They'd have to give me another concussion before they dragged me out of here again.

"Things to do. Loose ends to tie," Alice told no one in particular.

"What things to do?" I scoffed. We didn't have any plans here. No plan _was_ the plan.

"I don't know for sure… I need to see Carlisle," she stated.

"I'm not leaving," I told her, sternly.

"You could stay," Bella said softly. She was hurt at the possibility of us leaving again. "Please? Just for a little while. I've missed you so much."

"Please, Alice," I begged. Alice knew. Alice knew how much Bella and I had been hurting since we left. We both needed this.

"If you think that's a good idea." Her eyes were unhappy. She was breaking the rules.

"I do. You can stay here—Charlie would love that."

"We have a house, Bella," Alice scoffed, then hesitated before she said "Well, I need to go get a suitcase of clothes for Dani and I, at the very least." Bella and I hugged her.

"Alice, you're the best!" Bella cried.

"And I think I'll need to hunt. Immediately," Alice added in a strained voice.

"Oops," Bella and I took a step back.

"Can you stay out of trouble for one hour?" she asked skeptically. Then, she held up one finger and closed her eyes. She was actually _checking_ to see if Bella could stay out of trouble for an hour. "Yes, you'll be fine. For tonight, anyway."

"You'll come back?" Bella asked in a small voice.

"I promise—one hour. I'll even leave Danielle here so that you know I'll come back," I smiled, and high fived Bella. Alice just laughed at the two of us and kissed us both on the cheek before disappearing.

* * *

"It was so hard," I said. Bella was asking _me_ now what it was like being away. "I was sick a lot of the time, so it wouldn't have mattered much, but at least here I could have had visitors, you know? They kind of just took advantage of the fact that I wasn't all there and picked up and moved me to Alaska."

"That sucks," Bella said. "I tried emailing, but they changed all of your emails. Same thing with phones and stuff."

"Yeah, they confiscated my phone for a while. Especially after I tried to call you," I laughed. I was always causing problems.

"You tried to call me?" She asked. She truly thought we all left her in cold blood.

"Of course, Bella. I had just been through a breakup too. Trust me when I say I knew how bad off you were going to be. He is just so freaking stubborn. I'm not trying to apologize for him, trust me, but he really _did_ think that this was what was best for you. He wouldn't see it any other way."

"Look, let's just stop talking about it, okay? Let's go get some pillows so I can make up a spot for you on the couch, and then we'll watch some movies?"

"Sounds good to me, Bella and Dani back in action," I smiled and so did she. We were on the mend.

"Also, do you mind if I jump in the shower, quickly? I reek of seaweed and who knows what else," she said. I laughed.

"Of course, Bella," I smiled. "I'll make something for us to eat. I'm sure your near death experience made you hungry, and Alice hasn't fed me all day."

"Go for it!" Bella called from upstairs.

I looked in her refrigerator, but there really wasn't much to choose from. Finally I decided on leftovers. I heated up Bella a piece of a casserole and I took some chicken.

Bella came back down and made up the couch with some sheets she grabbed from upstairs and a pillow. She made up a spot on the floor for Alice, but both of us knew she wasn't going to need it.

By the time we finished dinner and went to go watch the movie, Alice was back. She was on her spot on the floor, smiling.

"Thanks," she said. Her eyes were back to normal.

"You're early," Bella said, clearly elated. Bella sat on the floor next to her and I sat next to Bella. Alice wrapped her arm around Bella's shoulder.

"Bella. What are we going to do with you?" She groaned.

"I don't know," Bella admitted. "I really have been trying my hardest."

"I believe you." It was silent. Then, Bella spoke again, voicing the thought she had been wondering about.

"Does—does he…" she took a deep breath. "Does Edward know you're here?" I

"No." Alice answered, a little harsher than necessary. Bella looked shocked.

"He's not with Carlisle and Esme?" Bella asked. I started fidgeting with my shirt. I didn't like talking about Edward.

"He checks in every few months," Alice said, patting my shoulder with her outstretched hand.

"Oh," Bella rested. "You said you flew here… Where did you come from?"

"We were in Denali, visiting Tanya's family," Alice told her.

"Is Jasper here? Did he come with you?" Alice just shook her head. I remembered the conversation my brother and I had before we left. "He didn't approve of my interfering. We promised…" she trailed off, and then her tone changed. "And you think Charlie won't mind us being here?" she asked, sounding worried.

"Charlie thinks you're both wonderful, Alice."

"Well, we're about to find out." Sure enough, a few seconds later I heard the cruiser pull into the driveway. Bella jumped up and hurried to open the door. Charlie trudged slowly up the walk, his eyes on the ground and his shoulders slumped. He looked so sad. I remember Bella telling us that Harry was one of Charlie's best friends. Bella was hugging him. I did my best to listen in on the conversation in the kitchen.

"I'm so sorry about Harry, Dad."

"I'm really going to miss him," Charlie mumbled.

"How's Sue doing?"

"She seems dazed, like she hasn't grasped it yet. Sam's staying with her…" The volume of his voice faded in and out. "Those poor kids. Leah's just a year older than you, and Seth is only fourteen…"

"Um, Dad?" Bella said. Now, I was interested, "You'll never guess who's here."

Before he could react, Alice was in the doorway. "Hi, Charlie," she said in a subdued voice. "I'm sorry I came at such a bad time." "Alice Cullen?" he peered at the slight figure in front of him as if he doubted what his eyes were telling him. I went and stood beside her. "Danielle, is that you?"

"It's me," I confirmed.

"We were in the neighborhood," Alice explained before he could ask any questions.

"Is Carlisle…?"

"No, we're alone." We all knew he wasn't asking about Dad.

"They can stay here, can't they?" Bella pleaded. "I already asked her."

"Of course," Charlie said mechanically. "We'd love to have you, ladies."

"Thank you, Charlie. I know it's horrible timing," Alice apologized.

"No, it's fine, really. I'm going to be really busy doing what I can for Harry's family; it will be nice for Bella to have some company."

"There's dinner for you on the table, Dad," Bella told him.

"Thanks, Bell." He gave Bella one more squeeze before he shuffled toward the kitchen. Alice went back to the couch, and we followed her. This time, Alice pulled Bella against her shoulder and I laid down, using her lap as a pillow.

"You look tired," Alice told her.

"Yeah," Bella agreed. "Near-death experiences do that to me… So, what does Carlisle think of you being here?" I could tell that she wasn't talking about Dad.

"He doesn't know, and we're going to try and keep it that way."

"You won't tell him, though… when he checks in again?" Bella asked.

"No. He'd bite my head off," Alice said grimly. "More so for bringing Danielle than checking in on you, but all the same." I laughed once, and then allowed myself to close my eyes. It was time for sleeping. I barely slept on the way here, and I was exhausted. I hadn't looked in the mirror, but I wouldn't be surprised if I looked like _I_ had been through a near death experience. I closed my eyes and for the first time in a long time, didn't dream of vampires trying to kill me.


	32. Edward

EDWARD

I woke up to Alice and Bella talking in the kitchen. Charlie must have already left for work or something. I stretched my arms and legs and nearly rolled off the couch. I got up and walked to the kitchen where Bella and Alice were sitting. Bella smiled and pulled a chair out for me.

"Good morning," they both said. Alice still looked distressed. Not as bad as the night before, but not good either. A night's sleep with us did wonders for Bella.

"Good morning," I told them, sitting down.

"We were just talking about how the family has been since, you know, and we were just getting to Alice's personal research about her human life," Bella filled me in. Oh.

After the James incident, Alice had gotten ahold of the video tape. I didn't know what was on it, but I know that it made a lot of people upset. They wouldn't let me watch it. For one, Bella's torture was on there, but secondly, Alice's story, which wasn't a happy one.

I didn't know much about _any_ of my sibling's human lives. Every once in a while, one of them would tell me a happy story, but the ends of their stories were never pretty. That's why I got to have them in my life. Because theirs ended. I didn't like thinking of that, and my family tried to shield me from the gruesome details as much as possible.

That's why I was surprised that Alice would be talking about her life with Bella.

"My name was Mary Alice Brandon," Alice told us. "I had a little sister named Cynthia," Alice smiled at me. "Her daughter—my niece—is still alive in Biloxi."

"Did you find out why they put you in… that place?" Bella asked. I didn't want to know what _that place_ was, I already had a good idea. Alice shook her head.

"I couldn't find much about them. I went through all the old newspapers on microfiche. My family wasn't mentioned often; they weren't part of the social circle that made the papers. My parents' engagement was there, and Cynthia's." The name fell uncertainly from her tongue. "My birth was announced… and my death. I found my grave. I also filched my admissions sheet from the old asylum archives. The date on the admission and the date on my tombstone are the same." _Grave. Asylum._ I shivered. Not many members of my family had graves. Alice looked at me and decided it was time to change the subject.

"Are you hungry?" She asked. _Not anymore_ , I thought to myself.

"A little," I told her anyways. I didn't want her to worry.

"Let's make pancakes," Bella suggested. I smiled.

"Great idea," I said, and the two of us got to work while Alice watched.

* * *

The next day was a little more interesting. It began with all of us – well, two of us – waking up casually and then eating leftover pancakes. Charlie had left earlier that morning to go to Harry's funeral. I felt so bad for him.

Bella spent most of the morning cleaning and Alice watched her and talked with her. I offered to help, but Bella didn't want me to. She was so stubborn.

I decided I should probably get some school work done, so I asked Bella if I could use her computer. I was sitting up in her room writing an essay when the doorbell rang.

"Hold on!" I heard Bella yell, and then hushed voices in the hallway. I walked out to see what was going on.

"I should step out," I heard the end of Alice's warning.

"Can I stay?" I asked her. I really didn't want to leave.

"That's not a good idea, either," Alice said. "If this is a repeat of my egregious lapse in foresight yesterday, then it's most likely Jacob Black or one of his… friends."

"You can't see werewolves?" Bella asked. That would explain why Alice couldn't see Bella getting pulled out of the water yesterday.

Alice grimaced. "So it would seem." Alice was clearly annoyed. She didn't like it when things were foggy, never mind blank.

The doorbell rang again—buzzing twice quickly and impatiently.

"You don't have go anywhere, Alice. You were here first." Alice laughed. "Trust me—it wouldn't be a good idea to have me and Jacob Black in a room together. Dani, you can stay if you want, but I'm leaving now." She kissed my cheek swiftly before she vanished through Charlie's door—and out his back window, no doubt. The doorbell rang again.

Bella sprinted downstairs and threw the door open. I peeked from around the corner, I didn't want him seeing me. It was Jacob, of course. Even blind, Alice wasn't slow. He was standing about six feet back from the door, his nose wrinkled in distaste, but his face otherwise smooth—masklike. He was huge, and he was clearly aggravated. I looked outside to see two others in the car he came in. He was afraid to come here alone.

"Hey," Bella said after a few moments of silence. Jacob was scanning the house with his eyes, looking for a threat. I hid back where he couldn't see me, but I didn't stop eavesdropping.

"She's not here," Bella snapped. "Do you need something?"

He hesitated. "You're alone?"

"Yes," Bella sighed.

"Then who's on the staircase, spying," Jacob spat out, walking towards me. I took in a sharp breath. This wasn't going to be good.

"That's Dani, she's a human," Bella said, quickly clarifying. He wouldn't hurt me if he knew I was a human, right?

"Why's _she_ here if the other one was?" Jacob questioned.

"It's complicated," I said, finally stepping out. "I'm Danielle," I introduced myself to him and held out my hand. _Kill him with kindness, Dani,_ I said, giving myself a pep talk. He didn't take my hand, though, he just kept staring at me. No matter how badly I wanted to, though, I couldn't stop looking at him, either. His brown eyes drew me in. Finally, he took a deep breath and turned to Bella. Still never taking my hand.

"Can I talk to you a minute?" He said, a little panicked. "Alone," he took another glance at me. Eyes wide. I couldn't stop looking at him.

"Of course you can, Jacob," Bella said, leading him back into the kitchen. Bella turned and gave me a look and I went back upstairs. I tried to hear their conversation, but I really could only pick out a few words. They were talking about my family. Details. When were they coming back? Who was here? Bella never mentioned that I was a Cullen, probably with good reason. I would have to remember that if Jacob and I ever spoke again.

From what I could understand, Bella evaded most questions that had to do with me. Jacob wanted to know how much I knew about vampires, but Bella didn't give any details. I wasn't sure if she did that on purpose or not.

The conversation got really quiet after that. So quiet that I couldn't hear anything anymore. There wasn't any shouting, wasn't any anger, just quiet and maybe even silence. I think we all jumped when the phone started ringing.

I ran back downstairs to offer to answer the phone, but Jacob was already answering it.

"Swan residence," Jacob said, his husky voice low and intense. Jacob's body language changed when the person answered, his back straightened and his body became rigid. His eyes went flat, and his face blank. Bella reached out to take the phone, but Jacob ignored her. "He's not here," Jacob said, and the words were menacing. Who was he talking to? There was some very short reply, a request for more information it seemed, because he added unwillingly, "He's at the funeral."

Jacob hung up the phone and muttered "filthy bloodsucker" before turning back to Bella.

"Who did you just hang up on?" Bella gasped, infuriated by Jacob's blatant disrespect. "In my house, on _my_ phone?"

"Easy! He hung up on me!" Jacob defended, hands up.

"He? Who was it?" Bella demanded, getting closer to Jacob.

" _Dr._ Carlisle Cullen," Jacob sneered. Bella and I shared a worried glance with each other. Why was my dad calling?

"Why didn't you let me talk to him?" Bella asked.

"He didn't ask for you," Jacob said coldly. His hands were shaking. I had this strange urge to reach out and grab them, but I resisted. Something tells me that wouldn't be a good idea.

"He asked where Charlie was and I told him. I don't think I broke any rules of etiquette," Jacob continued.

"You listen to me, Jacob Black—" Bella warned, but Jacob wasn't even looking at her anymore. His eyes went wide and his body stiff, and then it wasn't only his hands that were shaking.

"Bye, Bells," he spit out, and booked it to the front door. Bella followed him. I did too, I couldn't resist it.

"What is it?" Bella asked, but Jacob was turning around at the same time, knocking Bella to the floor. I ran over to her to help her up, seeing as Jacob clearly wasn't going to. Jacob kept walking for the back door, but suddenly froze when he got to the stairs. He froze because my sister was there. Wide eyed and afraid.

"Bella," she choked. Bella and I both rushed over to her. I grabbed her hand, and I could feel Jacob's eyes on me. My poor sister, her slim body trembled to an inner turmoil.

"Alice, what's wrong?" I asked her. I put my hands on her face, trying to calm her. Her eyes focused on mine abruptly, wide with pain. "Edward," was all she whispered, and I forgot how to breathe.


	33. Italy

ITALY

Bella nearly passed out, and Jacob carried her body to the couch, swearing the whole way. I couldn't move. I was standing, eyes locked on Alice. Something was wrong with my brother.

"What did you do to her?" Jacob demanded, snapping me out of my trance. Alice pushed passed me and went to Bella.

"Bella? Bella, snap out of it. We have to hurry," she said, then looked at me softly, but never got to say what she wanted to say because Jacob was _still_ yelling at her.

"Stay back," Jacob warned when Alice got too close to Bella.

"Calm down, Jacob Black," Alice ordered. "You don't want to do that so close to her. Or Danielle," she added. There was something else in her words that I didn't understand. Why would I possibly matter right now?

"I don't think I'll have any problem keeping my focus," he retorted, but his voice sounded a little cooler.

"Alice?" Bella finally said, weakly. I went and sat next to her on the couch, pushing well past Jacob. I was a human, he couldn't touch me.

"What happened?" Bella asked, afraid.

"I don't know," Alice wailed. She was scared. Terrified, even. "What is he thinking?!"

"Alice!" I yelled, not knowing why. Probably simply because I couldn't breathe, and if she lost it, I was going to lose it too. She looked at me again before picking up her phone and calling someone.

"Rose, I need to talk to Carlisle now." Her voice whipped through the words. "Fine, as soon as he's back. No, I'll be on a plane. Look, have you heard anything from Edward?" Alice paused now, listening with an expression that grew more appalled every second. Her mouth opened into a little O of horror, and the phone shook in her hand. I started crying. For some reason I couldn't comprehend, Jacob grabbed my hand. I pulled away and glared at him. I had a feeling that whatever was happening was his fault.

"Why?" Alice gasped, making me turn my attention back to her. "Why would you do that, Rosalie?" Whatever the answer was, it made her jaw tighten in anger. Her eyes flashed and narrowed. "Well, you're wrong on both counts, though, Rosalie, so that would be a problem, don't you think?" she asked acidly. It caught me off guard - she _never_ used that tone with Rosalie. "Yes, that's right. She's absolutely fine—I was wrong… It's a long story… But you're wrong about that part, too, that's why I'm calling… Yes, that's exactly what I saw." Alice's voice was very hard and her lips were pulled back from her teeth. "It's a bit late for that, Rose. Save your remorse for someone who believes it." Alice snapped the phone shut with a sharp twist of her fingers. Her eyes were tortured as she turned to face Bella and I.

"Alice, what is happening?" I asked her. I needed answers and I needed them now. Despite my needs, though, Bella put her hand on my arm, stopping me from asking anymore questions.

"Alice, Carlisle is back, though," she said. "He called just before-"

"How long ago?" Alice asked in a hollow voice, cutting off Bella.

"Half a minute before you showed up," Bella explained.

"What did he say?" Alice focused on Bella.

"I didn't talk to him," Bella said. Her eyes flickered to me, but my eyes flickered to Jacob. It _was_ his fault. Alice turned her penetrating gaze on him. He flinched, but held his place next to me. He sat awkwardly. Halfway between trying to protect Bella and trying to protect himself.

"He asked for Charlie, and I told him Charlie wasn't here," Jacob muttered resentfully.

"Is that everything?" Alice demanded, her voice like ice.

"Then he hung up on me," Jacob spit back. A tremor rolled down his spine, shaking me with it. I looked at Bella, wondering if she could feel it too.

"You told him Charlie was at the funeral," Bella reminded him, and Alice jerked her head towards her.

"What were his exact words?"

"He said, 'He's not here,' and when Carlisle asked where Charlie was, Jacob said, 'At the funeral.'"

Alice moaned and sank to her knees.

"Explain." I said. It was all I could get out. I had never seen my sister this upset before, and it terrified me.

"That wasn't Carlisle on the phone," she said hopelessly.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Jacob snarled from beside me, standing up.

"Sit down Jacob, this isn't about you!" I yelled at him, finally fed up with his attitude towards her. He looked at me like he was going to retaliate, but just shook his head and rolled his eyes.

Alice just ignored him and went on. "It wasn't Carlisle, it was Edward," she said, and the words cut through me like a knife. She looked at Bella and whispered "He thinks you're dead."

"Rosalie told him I killed myself, didn't she?" Bella said, putting everything together much faster than I did. I could tell why Alice was so hostile towards her. How could she do that to him? Tears ran down my face even harder.

"Yes," Alice admitted, her eyes flashing hard again. "In her defense, she did believe it. They rely on my sight far too much for something that works so imperfectly. But for her to track him down to tell him this! Didn't she realize… or care… ?" Her voice faded away in horror.

"And when Edward called here, he thought Jacob meant my funeral," Bella mentioned.

"You should have let me talk to him," I told Jacob. "You should have let me talk to my own father!" I yelled at him. Then, I turned to Bella. "How are _you_ not upset? He's the love of your life, Bella! Wouldn't you have _wanted_ to talk to him?"

"Well, it's really rotten timing, but it will all get straightened out. The next time he calls, someone will tell him… what… really…" Bella trailed off, but Alice was still glaring at her. There was still something else. Something Bella and I were both missing.

"Bella," Alice whispered. "Edward won't call again. He believed her."

"I. Don't. Understand," Bella whispered.

"He's going to Italy."

"NO!" Bella shrieked. Italy? What was in Italy?

"No! No, no, no! He can't! He can't do that!"

"He made up his mind as soon as your friend confirmed that it was too late to save you."

"But he… he left! He didn't want me anymore! What difference does it make now? He knew I would die sometime!" Bella was hysterical.

"I don't think he ever planned to outlive you by long," Alice said quietly. That's when I understood. Whatever was in Italy, it was going to kill my brother. I rocked back and forth, sobbing.

"How dare he!" Bella was still screaming. She was moving now, and Jacob was getting in her way. She was yelling at him too, now. "Oh, get out of the way, Jacob!" She walked to Alice. "What do we do?" She begged. I agreed, there had to be something we could do. We were the Cullens. We solved these kinds of problems.

As long as we stayed a family, we would solve anything that came our way.

Except, we hadn't been much of a family lately. We had been distant and torn apart by Edward's decision to leave Forks. Emmett and Rosalie were barely at home, same with Edward. Jasper spent most of his days alone, and Alice was with him, just for company. Hell, I spent most of _my_ time in Denali alone.

Were we still the type of family that could save my brother?

"Can't we call him? Can Carlisle?" Bella asked. Alice shook her head. "That was the first thing I tried. He left his phone in a trash can in Rio—someone answered it…" she whispered.

"You said before we had to hurry. Hurry how? Let's do it, whatever it is!" Bella was better than I was at processing and moving. I still hadn't left the couch. I was still figuring out how to breathe again. Yet, I agreed with her. Whatever we could do to help Edward, it didn't involve sitting on Bella's couch crying and screaming. I got up and dusted myself off, ready to help however I could.

"Bella, I—I don't think I can ask you to…" Alice trailed.

"Ask me!" Bella commanded, putting her hands on Alice's shoulders. I walked beside Bella.

"Alice, whatever we need to do, it's just the three of us. We can get it done.

"We may already be too late. I saw him going to the Volturi… and asking to die. It all depends on what they choose. I can't see that till they make a decision. But if they say no, and they might – Aro is fond of Carlisle and wouldn't want to offend him – Edward has a backup plan. They're very protective of their city. If Edward does something to upset the peace, he thinks they'll act to stop him. And he's right. They will." In other words, whoever these Volturi are, they'll kill him on the spot. We couldn't let that happen.

"So we're going to Italy?" I asked her.

"Danielle…you can't go," Alice said, sadly. "I don't time to argue with you on this, you just have to take my word. I cannot explain all of it right now, but Edward is putting you in enough danger by going to the Volturi himself. Never mind if we brought you with us. It would be imminent death for you. You need to stay here."

"Then we'll go," Bella said. I sat down on the couch again. I was heartbroken. I couldn't argue my way out of this one because Alice was absolutely right. Every minute she spent arguing with me was a minute later they would be to save Edward. I would never forgive myself if I was the reason they were too late.

"Listen, Bella!" Alice said. "Whether we are on time or not, we will be in the heart of the Volturi City. I will be considered his accomplice if he is successful. You will be a human who not only knows too much, but also smells too good. There's a very good chance that they will eliminate us all – though in your case it won't be punishment, but dinnertime. It's one of the reasons I can't allow Danielle to go."

"This is what's keeping us here?" Bella asked in disbelief. "I'll go alone if you're afraid."

"I'm only afraid of getting you killed." She was willing to risk Bella's life, but not mine. Again, I didn't see how we were much different.

"I almost get myself killed on a daily basis! Tell me what I need to do!"

"You write a note to Charlie. I'll call the airlines. Danielle, call Carlisle. Tell him to come get you."

"I can stay here," I said, coldly. This would be the first place they came when they returned. _If_ they returned. No. I wouldn't let myself think that way.

"Charlie," Bella gasped.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to Charlie." Jacob's low voice was gruff and angry. "Screw the treaty."

"I'll keep an eye on him too, Bella," I told her, squeezing her hand. Jacob growled.

"Hurry, Bella," Alice interrupted urgently. Bella ran upstairs with Alice to pack. Jacob looked at me incredulously.

"Why do you care so much about them? Do you even know what they are?" He scoffed, puzzled at why I was a part of this.

"My last name is Cullen, figure it out," I spat at him. If he could have just handed me the phone, or better yet, let Bella answer the phone in her own house, this wouldn't be an issue. As if it were possible, Jacob got even angrier. I had no idea what his problem was.

"Don't go," Jacob whispered to Bella when she came back down, alone. He wasn't as angry anymore. More sad, than anything.

"Please, please, please take care of Charlie," Bella said she dashed to the kitchen. Alice was waiting there with Bella's bag.

"Get your wallet—you'll need ID. Please tell me you have a passport. I don't have time to forge one," Alice said. Bella ran back upstairs. I walked over to Alice with tears in my eyes. If this was the last time I saw her, I was going to be heartbroken.

"I can't lose both of you in one day," I told her, tears flooding my face again. She ran a hand down the side of my face.

"Jasper will take care of you," she said. I cried a little harder at the thought of my brother without his bride.

"Please come back, and bring him with you," I sniffled. She nodded.

"I'll do my best," she said. I hugged her for not nearly a long enough time before Bella came back and I reluctantly pulled away. Jacob came into the kitchen, probably to pick a fight with Alice. He looked at me before glaring at her.

"You might control yourself on occasion, but these leeches you're taking her to—" Jacob was furiously accusing her.

"Yes. You're right, dog." Alice was snarling, too. There was going to be a fight.

"The Volturi are the very essence of our kind—they're the reason your hair stands on end when you smell me. They are the substance of your nightmares, the dread behind your instincts. I'm not unaware of that," I shivered. Alice was scaring me.

"And you take her to them like a bottle of wine for a party!" he shouted.

"You think she'd be better off if I left her here alone, with Victoria stalking her?"

"We can handle the redhead."

"Then why is she still hunting?" Jacob growled, and a shudder rippled through his torso.

"Stop that!" I shouted at them both, not wanting to see anyone else get hurt today.

"Argue when we get back, let's go!" Bella said, leaving. Alice turned for the car, disappearing in her haste. Bella hurried after her, leaving me a key to the house and her truck, which she knew I couldn't drive. Jacob nearly pushed me out of the way to get to her. I stood in the doorway, watching as Jacob spoke to Bella through the window. Suddenly, Jacob disappeared and Alice stomped on the gas, speeding away towards a possible imminent death.

My body felt like cement again. I curled myself into a ball, staring at the space where my Dad's car was. I let the tears flow and the sobs wail. I wanted nothing more than to be in that car with them, and I knew the next days would be torturous waiting.

* * *

I didn't want to be at Bella's house when Charlie came home, so I left her note on the table and locked the door on my way out. It was going to be a long walk home, but I needed to clear my head, and that wasn't going to happen here.

The whole time I was walking, the only thing I could think of was the one person I needed most in this moment was the one person I may never see again: Edward.


	34. Wolf Boy

Wolf-Boy

Why I made the decision to walk home, I had no idea. About a half hour ago, it seemed like a good idea. Now, I was pretty sure I was an idiot for leaving Bella's house.

While Forks was a small town based on population, it certainly wasn't small based on size. To walk home would take me _hours_ , and that wasn't an exaggeration. We were nearly at the line of La Push, which was Quileute Land, which was nearly a half hour from the town center.

That's why, when a car pulled up next to me on my way home, I was surprised, but very grateful.

"I thought you were staying at Bella's" A voice said from the vehicle. I don't know who I expected my savior to be, but I certainly didn't expect it to be Jacob Black, of all people.

"I changed my mind," I said, and kept walking. I had decided that I was angry with him.

"Come on, don't be like that," Jacob said. "If you give me your permission, I can drop you off at your house on my way home." I stopped walking then. I _really_ needed that ride home.

"How did you get that car anyways? Didn't you ride home with Bella?" I asked him. He seemed relieved that I stopped trying to walk away from him.

"Some of my friends followed me. When I went back to Bella's and realized you weren't there, I kicked them out and made them walk so I could come looking for you. There's a vampire running around, remember?" He said, jokingly. Oh, so jerk face wanted to be my friend now. Got it.

"Yeah, unfortunately," I would be a liar to say I hadn't been scared to death that Victoria would find me before someone else did.

"Look, I don't want to cause any trouble. Let me just give you a ride home so I know you're safe," He pleaded.

"Why do you even care?" I asked him. He didn't care about putting my brother's life in danger, so why would he care about me?

"You fascinate me," he shrugged, patting the passenger seat next to him. "It's up to you, though. You _can_ say no."

"If I lived closer, and there wasn't a vampire on the loose, believe me, I would. I'm not your biggest fan right now, Jacob Black," I told him, making it clear where I stood.

"I know, and I _am_ sorry about that. If I knew…" he grumbled.

"If you knew what? My crazy life story? You made it very clear that you didn't care for my family, so why do you care so much about me?"

"Look, I'm not psyched about any of this either. You think I want Bella risking her life out there? Who are these 'Volturi' bloodsuckers anyways?" He asked. We were on the road again.

"I wish I could give you an answer," I told him honestly. This was the first time I was hearing about them.

"They keep you that far in the dark? Are you sure you're not their slave or something?" He asked, almost a little too seriously.

"No, I'm definitely their daughter. I'm assuming you want to know the whole story?" I asked him. It would keep him from asking other kinds of questions if I just told him where I came from.

"Only if you want to tell me. I _am_ curious though. Most humans tend to stay away from them, I thought."

"I was too young to know any better," I started. "I'm biologically related to Edward," I told him. "He's my great-uncle, or something like that. He was keeping tabs on my mom and me when a vampire tried to kill us and succeeded in killing her. Apparently I watched it all happen so they tried to change my memories by telling me over and over again that it was just a car accident, but in the mean time they decided they didn't want to send me back again, so they adopted me. I legally became Danielle Cullen."

"That's a bit selfish given everything involved," Jacob snarled. I looked at him.

"I know, but, I wasn't going to have anything better. At least this way, I have a forever family. I have people I can look up to. People I can love."

" _People_ ," Jacob scoffed, then looked at my hurt expression. "Sorry," he apologized. "Seriously, though, how do you do it? They're dangerous. This life is dangerous," he said.

"It's complicated," I told him. I was still trying to figure that one out for myself. He just nodded and we slipped into silence. I stared out the window wondering where Alice and Bella were. If they had gotten on the plane okay and if they were going to make it.

"We're here," Jacob said, pulling up to the end of the street before my house. "Do you have a key to get in?"

"Yeah, I kept one when we left in case I ever decided to run away," I told him. He laughed and rolled his eyes. I laughed too, pretending it was a joke, but it really wasn't.

"Stay safe," Jacob said. He was a piece of work.

"You too, wolf boy," I told him. He just shook his head. I was going to have to think of some new material if he was going to be hanging around.

It took me about ten minutes to walk down the street to my house. I wondered why Jacob couldn't have just driven the rest of the way. When he and Alice were talking, they mentioned something about a treaty, maybe it had something to do with that.

My heart jumped up into my throat when I saw two sets of cars in the driveway and the lights on. Everyone was home. Well, almost everyone.

"Danielle!" I heard someone shout from the front door. I walked up and hugged Rosalie, the owner of the voice.

"Danielle, where the hell were you? We were so worried when Carlisle called and said you weren't at Bella's anymore."

"Sorry, I decided to walk home, and then I got a ride," I explained. I hoped that they wouldn't ask any more questions. I didn't want to get into the whole Jacob Black thing right now.

"It's late, and it takes hours to walk home. Were you going to spend the night walking the outskirts of Forks? Something could have happened to you, and after everything with Edward right now-" I stopped Rosalie right there. She had no right to lecture me on that right now.

"Well, we wouldn't have to worry about Edward right now if it wasn't for you," I told her, pulling away. Jasper came behind me and put his hand on my shoulder. It was his way of telling me to calm down.

"We all thought she was dead, Danielle," Emmett reasoned. He would always take Rosalie's side.

"You didn't need to tell him," I spat out.

"Danielle!" I heard my mother say, running up to me at vampire speed and hugging me. "Oh my darling, we thought something happened to you!"

"I heard," I said, softly, but she heard my sarcastic response.

"If you ever do something to scare me and your father like that again, you will be grounded for the rest of your life do you understand?" She actually waved her finger at me.

"Yes, mom," I told her. She hugged me again before Dad came in and gave me a similar lecture.

"So what happens now?" I asked my family. My family who, in my seventeen years of life hadn't aged a day, yet, right now looked like they had aged a lifetime.

"Well, my love, it seems we actually have a lot that we need to tell you about," Dad said, wrapping his arms around me.

"Yes," Mom agreed, sadly. "It's time you learned who the Volturi are, and why you must never be allowed to meet them in person."


	35. Safe

SAFE

We talked for hours. About me. About the Volturi. About how dangerous it really was for me that Edward had chosen to go there to end his life. How dangerous it was for Bella.

The Volturi was a group of ancient vampires. Older than even my Dad, who until then, I considered to be extremely old. They are the largest coven of vampires, and the most powerful because of the company they keep.

There are the leaders of the Volturi – Aro, Marcus, and Caius, and their wives. Except for Marcus' wife, who was killed by Aro, who was also her brother. Then, they have this "guard," at least that's what my family called them. They're the ones with all the superpowers. They're the ones the leaders hide behind. They're the muscle to the madness, as far as I understand it.

They are the unofficial royalty in the vampire world. They have apparently established and enforced a number of laws that vampires are expected to maintain. The most important and "umbrella" law? Keeping the existence of vampires a secret.

"If a human does find out about vampires, it is the vampires' responsibility to silence them," Dad explained.

"And Bella and I are humans that know way too much?" I asked.

"Not only do you two know too much, but you're too involved. Bella has a relationship with Edward, and you have been living with us for twelve years. We've kept you in the dark about many things, for your protection should the Volturi ever get involved like now, but they still won't like that. You have no one other than us. They won't hesitate to kill you to punish us."

"But I've been silent. I've never told anyone about who you are!" I said. Not even when I was little and didn't know how to keep my mouth shut. That was the one secret I never told anybody. That had to stand for something.

"It doesn't change the fact that once the Volturi know who you are, what role you play in our lives, you will have an impossible choice to make."

"Carlisle," Mom warned.

"They'll kill me?" I asked hesitantly.

"If you don't decide to become a vampire, they will kill you, yes."

"If you don't want to be a vampire, then we can figure something out," Rosalie quickly added.

"They'll kill you if that happens," I said resigned.

"We'll figure it all out. We won't know anything until Alice calls again," Jasper said, calming the situation.

"Again? She called?" I asked him.

"While we were looking for you," he explained. "She was on the plane there. She didn't know anything yet, Edward kept changing his mind."

"Oh," I said. Mom was still holding my hand. This was tough for everyone, especially her and Carlisle. Edward was their first son. He had been here the longest. He was here when Mom was turned.

* * *

The pain of waiting for Alice's phone call was tenfold what it was waiting for Edward's when we were in Phoenix.

For one, although I wasn't entirely sure no one was going to die, my family was fairly confident in the outcome. This time, no one knew what the outcome was going to be.

Secondly, I was with Alice and Jasper. If anything was happening, I could read them like an open book. Alice and I were close like that. I could tell if she was seeing something, if something was changing. Here, everyone was on the same page. No one knew anything and there was no way of knowing what was going on without a phone call.

Thirdly, I was with Bella. Bella who was a human. Bella who did human things too and we could talk about human stuff with. Bella who, by some miracle, became a sister to me. We reminded each other to eat, and sleep. We were partners in crime.

I hated waiting. I felt like I was going to throw up and cry and pass out and scream all at the same time. That the sky was going to fall and I would just break down. I had months of angst and depression wound into me that was threatening to explode with this climax of a situation. There was, however, one thing I was absolutely sure of - if Edward, Alice, and Bella didn't make it home, I didn't know that I could keep my head on straight. I didn't know if Rosalie would be able to handle the guilt. Jasper the loss. Carlisle and Esme the pain of losing a child. Emmett the pain of losing a brother. I might just die too.

I knew I couldn't think of that, though. I knew I couldn't think of the negatives. Mom wouldn't let go of me the entire time we waited. Dad never let me out of his sight. Jasper tried to keep tabs on my emotions, but he wasn't doing a good job of controlling his own. Most of the time my worry just increased when he tried to calm me down.

I must have fallen asleep at some point because my Dad was shaking me awake.

"Alice called," he said. "They're on their way home now. Everyone is alive and safe. We have to go pick them up at the airport."

"Thank God," I nearly cried, exhaling in relief. Everyone was going to be okay.

* * *

We took two cars to the airport. Rosalie and Emmett drove in one while Mom, Dad, Jasper, and I drove in the other. Rosalie and Emmett didn't even come inside, they just waited in the garage. Rosalie was probably too embarrassed to make an immediate appearance. I didn't blame her – Edward was going to be furious.

Jasper was focused on the arrival gate the entire time – eyes only watching for one person, Alice. Even though Edward and Bella were the first ones out, he didn't even acknowledge them. When Alice came out, she went quickly to his side and, like the weird couple they were, just stared at each other.

Mom and dad were waiting in the corner, and went right for Edward and Bella. Mom hugged Bella and whispered something in her ear. Then, she glared at Edward. I heard he warn him to never put her through that again. Dad thanked Bella for rescuing her.

Finally, Edward and Bella got to me. I was the farthest away from them because I couldn't bring myself to take any more steps. I didn't know what I was feeling, and it terrified me. Edward was the one who made us leave, so I was angry. He was the one who disappeared when I needed him, so I was angry. Yet, I was so eager to have him back, because as angry as I was, I still needed him.

Edward heard my thoughts and walked over to me, still not letting go of Bella. I didn't say anything when he stood in front of me. I didn't make any moves. I don't even remember breathing. Edward knew, though. He always knew.

He let go of Bella and pulled me into his embrace, and I broke. All of the pain and depression and anger let loose. I cried harder than I cried in months. Relieved that my brother was home. Relieved that no one was going to die today. Relieved that for the first time in what felt like forever, my _whole_ family was together again. Rosalie and Emmett. Alice and Jasper. Mom and Dad. Bella and Edward.

"It's okay," Edward said, rubbing my back. I was still sobbing. It wasn't even a cute cry, it was an ugly, loud, 'I Don't Even Care Anymore' sob. Bella looked on, smiling. She looked exhausted, but she knew. Like always, she understood.

"I'm so sorry," Edward whispered in my ear. "I'm so sorry to put you through this."

After a few minutes I finally regained myself and calmed down – probably with the help of Jasper, who was back to normal now that Alice was in his arms again. Bella took her spot in Edward's arms back while I went to hug Alice.

"Thank you," I told her. She shook her head. "It isn't over," she said.

"Not now, Alice," Edward scolded her. She nodded, understanding.

"I'll explain everything when we get home," Alice promised, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. Jasper was on her other side.

"She's dead on her feet," Mom said, talking about Bella. "Let's get her home."

We got to the parking garage and Edward froze when he saw Rosalie and Emmett waiting there.

"Don't," Mom said. "She feels awful."

"She should," Edward said.

"It's not her fault," Bella mumbled tiredly. The poor thing probably hadn't slept since they left Forks.

"Let her make amends. We'll ride with Alice, Jasper, and Danielle," Mom told him.

"Please, Edward," Bella pulled him, not wanting to cause a fight. I'm sure there would be one at some point.

* * *

I fell asleep in the car, shocker.

Alice shook me awake when we reached the house. It was almost morning by now. I hadn't forgotten her words at the airport, though, and when we got inside, I confronted her about it.

"What do you mean it isn't over?" I asked her. She looked confused for a minute, so I explained.

"When we were at the airport, and I thanked you, you said 'It isn't over.' What did you mean?"

"The Volturi, they know about you now. I'm sure Carlisle explained them to you?" Alice asked reluctantly. She didn't want to get into this now, but she knew she didn't have a choice. I wasn't going to let her out of this one.

"Yeah, and how I'm breaking all the rules," I said. _That_ part was clear.

"It's more than that. The Volturi are on to us now. Bella is sure of her future. I can see clearly that she will be one of us someday, one way or another. Aro trusts my visions enough to not worry about her. You, however, are different. You intrigue him, because I don't see you anywhere. I don't see you human or vampire, because you haven't made that decision yet."

"So they think I'm dangerous?" I asked her.

"Yes," she said sadly.

"Are they going to come kill me?" I asked softly. She shook her head.

"You're a minor. Carlisle is a good friend to Aro, and Aro was fortunately willing to agree with that. You've done a superb job of keeping our secrets, and we convinced Aro to give you a year. A year to make your decision."

"What decision is that?" I asked, afraid of the answer.

"Whether or not you become a vampire," She answered, evading the most important part.

"And if I don't become a vampire, I get a death sentence," I said.

"Absolutely not," Alice said, grabbing my hand. "We will _not_ let anything happen to you. We have nearly another year before we need to worry about this. It's possible they will even forget about you, should everything stay quiet and we don't have any more surprises. All you need to do, is decide what you really want. Decide without fear of anything else. They can't hurt you."

She squeezed me tightly before letting me go. I knew that she was convinced everything was going to be fine, but if the choice was between me becoming a vampire and my family fighting to the death for me, I would take the lesser of the two evils.

I guess that meant I _had_ made my decision already. I didn't want to be a vampire, but I would become a vampire if it meant that my family didn't have to fight to the death for my humanity.


	36. Vampire Girl

VAMPIRE GIRL

I expected to have nightmares that night.

I expected to see the Volturi. To see myself as a vampire. _Something_. That's probably why I was so afraid to fall asleep. When I finally did, however, I didn't see anything. I actually probably wouldn't have risen for hours if Edward's shouting hadn't woken me.

"No! No! NO!" Edward roared. I quickly threw a robe on and raced downstairs. Edward was in Bella's face, clearly upset by something. Jasper put his hand on my shoulder when I entered, telling me silently to hold on for a minute.

"Are you insane?" he shouted. "Have you utterly lost your mind?" Bella cringed and covered her ears, clearly uncomfortable with Edward's outburst.

"Um, Bella," Alice interjected in an anxious voice. "I don't think I'm ready for that. I'll need to prepare…" I looked at Jasper to explain, but he shook his head.

"You promised," Bella glared.

"I know, but… Seriously, Bella! I don't have any idea how to not kill you."

"You can do it," Bella encouraged. "I trust you."

Edward snarled in fury. Alice shook her head quickly, looking panicked.

"Carlisle?" Bella looked at my dad. Did she want someone to turn her right now?

Edward grabbed Bella's face in his hand. His other hand was out, palm toward Dad. Dad ignored Edward. "I'm able to do it," he answered. Edward's eyes widened in shock.

"You would be in no danger of me losing control," Dad finished. Holy shit. I tried to move forward, but Jasper's hands held me in place.

"Sounds good," Bella said, a little mumbled.

"Hold on," Edward said between his teeth, turning away from Bella, and then back towards her. "It doesn't have to be now."

"There's no reason for it not to be now," Bella countered.

"I can think of a few."

"Of course you can," Bella said sourly. "Now let go of me," she demanded. He let go of her, and folded his arms across his chest, but his eyes never lost contact.

"Bella," he started, calmer than before. "In about two hours, Charlie will be here looking for you. I wouldn't put it past him to involve the police."

"All three of them," Bella scoffed, but frowned. She hadn't thought about Charlie

"In the interest of remaining inconspicuous," Edward said, looking at Dad now, "I suggest that we put this conversation off, at the very least until Bella finishes high school, and moves out of Charlie's house."

"That's a reasonable request, Bella," Dad pointed out.

"I'll consider it." Bella said, and Edward finally relaxed. Jasper took his hands off my shoulders. The threat was gone.

"I should probably take you home," he said, more calm now, but clearly in a hurry to get me out of here. "Just in case Charlie wakes up early."

Bella didn't move until she got confirmation from Dad. "After graduation?" She asked.

"You have my word." Dad promised. Bella nodded.

"Okay. You can take me home," Bella said, and Edward rushed her out of the house.

"I apologize for waking you up, Dani," Edward said on his way by, arms still around Bella. The conversation ended there.

"Why don't you go back to bed, sweetheart," Dad said, coming over to me now that Bella and Edward's argument had subsided.

"Not until someone explains what the heck just happened," I said. I was _not_ being left out of this one.

"Bella wants to be a vampire, Edward doesn't want her to rush it," Alice explained. There was something else, though.

"That's not everything," I challenged her. She looked at Dad before continuing.

"Edward's afraid that Bella is rushing into it because of the threat of the Volturi. He's afraid that she's only doing this because she doesn't want to hurt us further," Alice admitted. So she's in the same place that I am.

"He's wrong, though," Alice continued. "Bella truly does want to be one of us. Her outcome wouldn't be so clear if she was hesitant, especially where the Volturi's role hasn't been decided yet."

"So she wanted to know what you all thought." I said. It wasn't a question. That was _such_ a Bella thing to do.

"Yes," Dad confirmed. "We voted."

"What did you say?" _Did_ they want Bella to be a part of this family?

"Most voted yes, of course," Dad said. "Bella is already a part of this family. The past few months have made that painfully clear," he added, running his hand down the side of my face.

"Who voted no?" I asked, shocked.

"Rosalie and Edward. Neither of them want her to rush into this," Dad explained.

"That makes sense," I said. It was one of the only things Rose and Edward could agree on. Bella's humanity. They had the most difficult time accepting themselves as vampires, of course they wouldn't want that for her.

"Here's some warm milk, honey," Mom came back into the dining room handing me the mug. "You should try to go back to sleep."

"Can I just lie down in the living room and watch a movie?" I asked. I was a little too riled up right now to go back to bed.

"Of course, love, but you need to rest," Dad said.

* * *

Everything went strangely back to normal within the next few weeks. I went back to school, Dad went back to the hospital, and Emmett and Rosalie were still considered graduated and free. Bella, Edward, Alice, and Jasper were all set to graduate come spring, despite all the crazy transfer credit madness. I'm actually pretty sure Jasper forged a bunch of stuff, but they had all been through high school so many times before that there was no way any of them could fall behind. I, however, was not as lucky.

Because of my lack of education during my concussion, I hadn't technically completed my first semester of junior year, and the credit transfer for my online classes had been super messy. As a result, after a lengthy parent/teacher/guidance counselor conference, it had been decided that the best thing for me was to repeat junior year next year. Because _I_ hadn't gone through high school multiple times like my siblings, my parents weren't comfortable with forging documents so I could stay with my class.

Despite my academic setbacks, however, my social life was still alright. Tyler, Ronna, Mariana, and Justin were thrilled to have me back. Even Andrew tried to be extra nice when I returned. It didn't change what happened between us, but I think my absence and lack of communication helped him realize that he had made a mistake. He and Fiona were still going strong, and they looked like a happy couple.

I was actually out with Tyler and Mariana when I ran into none other than Jacob Black and the Puppy Dogs.

"Hey Jake!" I called to him. He turned around and, despite everything that had happened, looked semi-happy to see me.

"Hey, how are you?" He asked.

"I'm home now, for good," I told him. "No more crazy kamikaze missions," I joked. He didn't laugh. "Have you talked to Bella?" I asked him.

"No," He admitted sheepishly. "How is she? Is she back with whats-his-face?"

"My _brother_?" I corrected him. "Yeah, they are."

"Damn," he said. "This universe is messed up," he mumbled.

"What's going on with you?" I asked him. His buddies behind him looked anxious.

"Just walking around. You know how it is," Jacob answered. "Who are your friends?"

"Tyler Newton and Mariana Webster," I introduced them. "Guys, this is Jacob Black and his posse."

"Embry and Quill," Jacob introduced.

"Don't worry, they're human," I whispered in Jake's ear. For some reason, my heart sped up when I got close to him. Must be his outrageous body heat.

"Thanks for the heads up," He scoffed.

"Look, we've got to get going, so I'll see you later, okay?" _Would_ I see him again?

"Definitely," He nodded, keeping a straight face. Mariana and Tyler headed back to the car, but before I could walk away Jacob grabbed my arm.

"Look, you should come to the beach some time. I'll introduce you to the rest of the pack," Jacob said.

"Isn't that considered 'holy ground' or something?" I asked him. I was pretty sure now that they knew I was a Cullen I wasn't allowed there.

"You're human, there's no rule against humans coming," Jacob said. "No matter who their family is," he clarified. So I _was_ allowed at La Push.

"Should I bring friends?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"Just yourself. Trust me, we'll show you a good time," Jacob smiled.

"As long as this isn't a sabotage and I won't get sacrificed with my head handed back to my family in an anonymous box," I joked, while not really joking at the same time. They were telling me to come alone, and our families had been feuding for generations. I had to be careful.

"Just your fingers," Jacob joked back. "Seriously, no one will hurt you, I promise."

"Hopefully you stay true to your word, wolf boy," I smiled. He nodded.

"See you around, vampire girl," he smiled back. That boy was something else.


	37. Wolf Boy and Vampire Girl

Wolf Boy and Vampire Girl

The minute I stepped through the door that evening, I regretted not taking up Jacob's offer of a human sacrifice.

"Where the hell _were_ you?" Rosalie yelled when she heard me come in. Mom and Dad rushed to me immediately, and Alice and Jasper were on the couch. Edward also immediately stopped what he was doing to come rip me a new one.

"I was with Tyler and Mariana, like I said I would be," I told them calmly. I didn't understand why everyone was so panicked. The debacle with Edward was weeks ago.

"If you were with Tyler and Mariana, I would have been able to see you," Alice argued. "There's only one way I wouldn't be able to see you, and that's if you're dead." _Or with Jacob,_ I thought to myself. Edward glared at me, reading my mind, seeing what had really happened this afternoon.

"No!" Edward roared, and I instinctively took a step towards the door. All eyes were on Edward now.

"She was with the _dog_ ," Edward grumbled.

"He was with some friends at the same store me and my friends were at, we ran into each other!" I defended. It wasn't like I sought him out or something.

"That doesn't make sense, I still would be able to see your future by now…"Alice trailed off.

"Unless you're taking him up on his offer?" Edward challenged.

"Of course I am," I told Edward. I never considered _not_ going, although, I don't know why.

"Do you realize how dangerous that is? Or what that _dog_ has put Bella through these past few days? You need to stay away from him," Edward warned.

"Or what?" I challenged. He wasn't my father.

"Danielle, Edward has a point. We have a treaty with the wolves and we wouldn't want to tarnish that simply because you're curious," Dad stepped in, always trying to be a mediator.

"I'm not _curious_ ," I scoffed at his choice of words. "Jacob's a nice guy. He _was_ Bella's best friend. Why can't he be one of my friends?"

"He's dangerous, and Bella won't be seeing him anymore either," Edward declared.

"What, are _you_ going to make that decision for her? Guess what, Edward, he was there when she was going through the hell _you_ put her through. You don't get to take that away from her," I spat at him. _You're not_ her _father either,_ I thought at him. He growled.

"You think you know so much, Dani, you think you know so much about this world. You know _nothing_. You're just a human. You should know by now not to argue with us on matters of this sort."

"Wow, I'm _just_ a human?" I said, hurt by his choice of words. "If I'm _just_ a stupid human than maybe you should just send me back to the state. Better yet, you should have just never adopted me."

I stomped up to my room. Mom and Dad tried to stop me, but I waved them off. I didn't care how dangerous they thought Jacob was. Edward had no right to say those things. Yes, there were many things I didn't understand about this world, but that didn't mean I was incapable. That didn't mean that I was incompetent.

I may be _just_ a human, but I'm a human who can make my own decisions and my own failures. They would just have to live with that.

* * *

"He did _what_?" I asked Bella at school. Apparently she was grounded for life because Jacob dropped of the motorcycle she had been driving while we were away. Charlie was _not_ happy.

"He thought I wasn't going down to La Push because of Edward, not because of me being grounded for going to Italy. He thought me being grounded would keep Edward and I separated," Bella explained. I was going to have to have a word with Jacob later. _If_ I was ever able to sneak out and see him again.

"Wow," I said, shocked. Jacob _really_ didn't like Edward.

"He meant well, I just wish he would call me so we could talk about everything, you know? It's not fair on either end."

"He'll get over it," I told her. "You're with Edward. He has to understand that. You guys weren't a thing, were you?"

"Not by definition, he's like a brother to me," Bella explained.

"So he's extreme friend-zoned?" I asked, giggling. Bella nodded. It was sunny outside, so we were finally getting a chance to talk vampire – free.

"Are you ever going to get down to La Push to see him? I'm pretty sure I'm the banned one now," Bella said, sadly. I had told her about my invite.

"I don't know. No one likes the idea of me going down there. I was warned to 'stay away' and all that stuff," I told Bella.

"But Alice can't see you anymore, right?" Bella asked, hinting at something.

"No…" I said, shakily. I wasn't picking up what she was putting down.

"And Edward's not here to read your thoughts…" Bella kept going, and I finally got her message.

"I need to go!" I told her, wide eyed. She laughed and waved me off.

"You have a significant head start, get walking before Alice sees you through me! I'll send Jake a text telling him to come pick you up!" Bella said.

"You're my hero!" I joked, running out of the cafeteria.

I made it about a mile before Jacob was riding up next to me.

"Someone call for a ride?" He joked. "I gotta say, I wasn't expecting the text to come from Bella," he grimaced.

"Well, you didn't exactly give me your phone number," I said, climbing in. Suddenly, I saw a Silver Volvo pull up behind us. It was Edward. He was pissed. _Get over it_ , I thought to him.

"Is that your brother?" Jacob asked. I nodded.

"Just keep driving," I told him. "I'll probably never be able to see you again, but we have the rest of the day," I smiled.

"We have a lot to talk about," Jacob said.

"Like what?" I asked him.

"We just…need to talk," Jacob said. Leaving it at that. I didn't know what we were going to talk about, but it was clearly a serious matter. I could tell when we got to the line because Edward spun his car around. I turned my phone off, not wanting the inevitable calls to ruin my day with Jacob.

We pulled up to Jacob's house. No one was home, which made me kind of glad.

"Don't be nervous," Jacob said to me from behind. I jumped a little and he laughed. "Seriously."

"You're my family's mortal enemy, remember? I could be a sitting duck by now," I told him. He just rolled his eyes.

"Do you want something to drink? We don't have much, but we've got the essentials."

"Water would be fine, just don't spit in it," I told him.

"Nah, we werewolves have the good stuff. I'm gonna stick some cyanide in there," Jacob joked back.

"Thanks a lot," I laughed, taking the water. Jacob was funny.

"Look, I just wanted to know, how much do you know about us? Like _really_ know, not just what your family has told you."

"I know that you're a werewolf, that's about it. Until Bella jumped off the cliff, I didn't even know your kind existed," I explained. He nodded.

"So I guess I should start with we're not actually werewolves," Jacob said. "We're shapeshifters. We can turn in between a wolf and a human whenever we want. We aren't 'bound by the moon' or anything. It's genetic, and the gene goes back hundreds of years."

"Wow."

"Yeah, crazy. What do you know about the treaty?"

"Again, just the basics. We're not allowed on your land and you're not allowed on mine."

"You know that treaty only stands for vampires, right?"

"Yeah, you made that clear at the store," I laughed. "Can I just say one thing?"

"Of course."

"I know you guys and my family don't get along, but they're my family. They were there for me when literally no one else was. I was going to end up in foster care, but they kept me. So, can you just keep the insults to a minimum while I'm around? I don't like being in the middle, especially if it's in the middle of some hundred something year old treaty."

"Duly noted," Jacob nodded. Good. "Do you have any other questions?"

"Why are you so interested in me?" I offered. It was something that had been on my mind for a while.

"What do you mean?" He asked, getting antsy. I hit something.

"You should hate me. You have every reason to. I've done about the same amount of damage as my brother, and you hate him, so why do you think we can be friends?"

"You don't want to be friends?" Jake asked, a little hurt.

"I didn't say that, I just said why would you want to be? It's not going to be easy," I told him. There were bound to be things – natural and unnatural – that kept us apart.

"I _know_ that," he grumbled. There was something else.

"What interests you about me?" I changed my approach. Jacob looked at me in awe, like he couldn't believe I was asking that question.

"The first time I met you at Bella's house, I was angry. I was angry that Bella put her life in danger and that you guys were coming back and were going to ruin her again. But then I saw you on the staircase."

"And?" I asked.

"And remember, I didn't know you were a Cullen, and I felt so _sorry_ for you. I just couldn't stop thinking 'Why is this beautiful girl caught up in all of this?'" Holy shit. Holy shit.

"And then I found out you were one of them, but a _human_ and it nearly killed me right then and there. It killed me that the universe could be so cruel. Cruel to you and cruel to me."

"They're not bad, Jake," I told him softly. "They've been good to me, I know it's hard to believe, but I'm not their slave or anything."

"I know, but, at the time, you know, you think things. I lost Bella, and then I knew I wasn't going to be able to have you," he admitted. _Have_ me?

"Jacob Black, do you have a crush on me?" I asked him pointedly. "Is that why I'm so interesting?"

"Danielle, it's more than a crush. Do you know what imprinting is?"

 **A/N: Okay, so don't freak out! I know I have been a little shaky on the updating lately, but I promise I will update tomorrow! The updates are going to be a little shaky from now on because I am starting a new 24/7 program assistant job at a summer camp, but there will still be at least 3-4 updates a week.**

 **With that said, now that I've revealed Jacob's imprint, it's obvious that Eclipse is going to be a little different. Until now, I've stayed pretty Canon and that's been awesome. Am I going to go insane and change** ** _everything_** **? No. Are there going to be things that change as a result of Danielle and Jacob being imprints? Absolutely. You've trusted me this far, so just buckle up and head into your challenge zone if you're scared about these changes.**

 **Thank you all for sticking with me thus far, and I can't wait to hear from you!**

 **Lexi**


	38. Wolf Girl

WOLF GIRL

"Isn't imprinting the thing that happens with baby ducks?" I asked him, remembering a segment on imprinting from a Psychology course I took.

"Kind of, it works a little differently in my world, though," Jake began. "What you're talking about is the baby animal imprinting, where a baby animal recognizes another being as a parent, or another object of habitual trust. Well, because of what we are, we are technically animals, right?"

"I guess that makes sense…" I said, not really knowing where he was going.

"So because we're animals, we have this ability to imprint. It's not the same – well, kind of – but not really. Our imprinting isn't the bond between a baby and a parent. It's more like a bond between two lovers, or partners. Back in the day, they said that imprinting was supposed to be for ideal mating purposes, but I'm not sure how true that is…" he trailed off, then stopped walking. He turned to look at me.

"Our imprinting means that we have seen someone for the first time, and they are someone we can completely trust with all of our heart and soul. Our world no longer belongs to us, but to them. We become whatever they need us to be. Everything we do, our whole purpose of being, is for that person."

"So it's love at first sight?" I asked him.

"If love was a thousand times stronger, than yes," He said.

"So I don't understand what this has to do with me," I told him.

"Think about it, Danielle," he urged, grabbing my hand. I almost pulled away, but then it hit me.

Why he was so angry with me when he first met me.

Why he was so concerned when I was walking home alone.

Why he wanted to see me so badly.

Why he was so interested in me.

"You imprinted," I started, "on _me_."

"I didn't believe it at first. I _couldn't_ believe it. How could the universe be so cruel to give me the one girl on this earth that I couldn't get close enough to? The one girl who had a stronger tie to my enemies than anyone else? Then, we didn't talk, and I saw you at the store, and I knew. I saw you with your friends and how you weren't afraid of me. Despite knowing at that point how dangerous I could be, despite the stories your family must have told you, you still didn't care. I didn't even realize that during the time we were apart I had forgotten how to breathe, then seeing you again was like a breath of fresh air," Jacob said.

"You're such a _sap_!" I laughed. Jacob _loved_ me. Jacob _more_ than loved me. He had one hundred percent trust in me. The vampire girl.

"You think this is funny," Jacob said, astonished. "You _would_ think this is funny. I just poured my heart to you and you're laughing."

"Jacob, my family is going to destroy you when they find out," I told him. Holy crap. That's why Alice couldn't see me anymore. My future was intertwined with Jacob's. Alice would never see me again, except maybe on a rare occasion when Jacob wasn't around.

"They probably will," he said. "All I care about is what you're thinking right now."

I was laughing, but my hysteria was hiding the true fear I felt inside that Jacob loved me. The true fear I had inside for what Jacob was asking of me.

"I'm thinking that my last boyfriend was a dick and a half," I told him, honestly. "I'm thinking that the last person I loved threw it right back in my face and ran it over backwards because the way I loved him wasn't good enough. I'm thinking that my sister can't see me anymore because my future is intertwined with yours so tight that there are no loopholes, so someday, I'm going to love you as much as you love me, and that's terrifying. It's terrifying because there's no way our two families can work together, and you can never come over to my house for dinner and do all the normal stuff I'm used to doing. It's terrifying because I don't know if I want to _be_ in a relationship right now after everything the past year has thrown at me."

"Danielle, relax," Jacob said, pulling me into a hug. I let him. His touch felt good to me. He started rubbing my back. It felt better than Jasper's calming backrubs ever did.

"Remember what I said?" Jacob asked me, finally pulling away. "I will be whatever _you_ need me to be. For right now, I'm fine being in the friend zone. Someday, I hope we can be more than that, but only when you're ready. Whatever way you decide to love me, that's going to be the right way for us. This imprint thing may be supernatural and weird and yeah, we're not going to be able to do the things normal human couples get to do, but when _has_ our lives been normal? You grew up with a family of vampires, and I turn into a werewolf every night," Jacob laughed. I laughed a little bit too.

"I guess we're just going to have to be okay with being Romeo and Juliet for a little while," I said softly into his chest. He nodded.

"We'll just have a happy ending," he promised.

"I could use one of those," I smiled.

* * *

I didn't know what Jacob and I were. I liked that he respected the fact that I couldn't be in a relationship with him right now. I needed time with my family. With Bella. With my friends. I had spent a majority of the past year in a depression, locked in my room, and I needed time to figure my life out again.

With that said, I was perfectly fine with my new and improved life involving Jacob Black.

I didn't realize it before, but he was perfect. He was by my side while we walked around the reservation, pointing things out to me and telling me all about the legends. I never felt uncomfortable, despite technically being in enemy territory. Finally, we came to a house and Jacob stopped.

"Who lives here?" I asked him. He looked around for a minute, and then smiled.

"Emily, you'll love her," he said, squeezing my hand.

"I'm meeting the pack?" I asked him, nervous as hell.

"You'll be fine," he said, running his hands through my hair.

"I feel like I'm going to throw up," I told him, looking around.

"You're incredible, just remember, they _have_ to like you now," Jacob smirked.

"Because _that's_ comforting," I rolled my eyes. Nothing like knowing people didn't have a choice but to like you.

"Come on," Jacob said, pulling me in.

As soon as we stepped in the door, I felt like I was being pulled into the battlefield. Everyone's eyes immediately turned towards us. I shied back, considering running away, but I was met with Jacob's body and his hands on my shoulders.

"Guys, this is Danielle," Jacob introduced me. All the boys cheered. I tried to smile, but I'm pretty sure my discomfort showed on my face anyways because a girl – Emily, maybe? – stepped forward and grabbed my hand.

"Welcome to the family," she said, smiling. "I'm Emily, I'm Sam's imprint. I can answer any questions you have, I know this is a bit disorientating at first."

"A bit?" I asked. Four weeks ago I didn't know werewolves existed, and now, I'm eternally bound to one of them. It was a lot of information.

"Are you hungry?" She asked, ignoring my sarcasm. "You might want to eat before the boys clean up shop. Don't think that there will be any leftovers, because there won't."

"I guess I'll eat a muffin," I said.

"Don't be shy," Another boy said. "I'm Sam, nice to meet you," he said, shaking my hand. Emily got me a plate and some water, and Jacob sat down next to me at the table. The boys crowded around and we just talked like I was a normal person.

I had to be honest, I wasn't expecting to be welcomed with such open arms. I expected hostility towards my family, towards me, even. I was the vampire girl.

"I know what you're thinking," Emily said, coming to sit next to me. "Your family doesn't define you. Your relationship with Jacob is more important. You are a human. You can be a human here. You haven't committed any crimes, Danielle. You are our family now, too. We don't want to make this harder on you," She explained.

"Thanks, that means a lot to me," I told her. She squeezed my hand.

"You're not just the vampire girl anymore. You're a wolf girl now too."


	39. Romeo and Juliet

ROMEO AND JULIET

The entire day, time had been the least of my worries. In fact, for most of the day, time hadn't even existed in my world. When I finally looked at a clock, it was 8:00 PM, and I almost died.

"Holy shit!" I yelled, getting up from the couch and grabbing my bag. I walked to the door and stopped, then turned around to face Jacob.

"I need you to drive me home. Now," I told him, urgently. My family was going to _kill_ me. Not even in the joking sense. Like, I would legitimately not be able to ever leave the house again. They'd probably lock me in some sort of medieval dungeon Dad still had somewhere.

Oh God, I was screwed.

"Dani, are you okay?" Jacob asked, moving towards me.

"No, I am not okay. My family is going to destroy me. Piece by piece. Slowly," I complained. "Which is why I need you to drive me. If you drive me, I can at least make it to the end of my driveway before I get ripped to shreds. If not, the minute I cross the border Edward will be there waiting. I need buffers."

"You need a bodyguard," Jacob mumbled.

"We need to go," I told him, and he just shook his head and nodded.

We drove to the end of the reservation and, right before we hit what I assumed to be the border line, I warned Jacob.

"As soon as I'm in mind shot, he's going to know what happened today," I told Jacob.

"What's _what_?" He smirked.

"The imprint thing you sicko!" I yelled at him. This was not the time for this.

"Just checking," he laughed at my frustration. He _would_ find all of this funny.

"I didn't even do it with you, so your joke is lacking any form of humor," I grumbled.

"Alright," he said, and put a hand on my shoulder. His touch was comforting. I relaxed into his hand. He must have noticed, because he glanced over at me a few times.

When we arrived at the border, Edward's Volvo was pulled over on the side of the road, waiting. As soon as we passed, Edward sped behind us, tailgating the entire way.

"Shit," I mumbled. Jacob squeezed my shoulder. I still wasn't going to turn my phone on.

We drove in silence until we hit the end of my road. I distracted myself and kept my thoughts from Edward by singing nursery rhymes in my head.

"You'll give me a call, right? No matter what happens?" Jacob asked.

"Of course. This will _not_ be the last time I see you, wolf boy," I smiled. "You're my new best friend, remember?" Jacob was the one smiling now.

"Look, can you just tell Bella that I'm sorry? And to give me a call? I'll answer it this time, I promise."

"Looks like we've all had a bit of a change of heart today," I said, softly, playing with my hands. Hopefully my family will have one too.

"Looks like it," Jacob said. "I've got to go."

"I know," I said sadly. I hadn't noticed before how empty I felt when he wasn't around.

"We'll see each other soon, one way or another," Jacob said. The engine behind us revved as he brushed a piece of my hair away from my face.

"Grow up," I mumbled. Jacob laughed.

"Get out of the car, you goober," He said, seriously this time. I took a deep breath.

"Thanks for not sacrificing me today," I smiled.

"Any time," He nodded. I got out of the car and Jacob pulled away.

Edward pulled into the spot where Jacob was and I didn't even give him a chance to get out, I just kept walking. I would rather hear it from everyone at once than simply Edward.

"Danielle!" He called angrily from behind me. I ignored him. _Why can't you just wait and give it to me all at once?_ I thought, finally opening my mind to him.

"You think you deserve that after what you put us through today?" Edward growled. He had easily caught up to me and now we were fighting on the front steps.

"You're real brave to be talking about what _I_ put you all through today. Have you completely forgot what _you_ put all of us through last winter?" I threw back at him. He took a minute, but then relaxed.

"That has nothing to do with you blatantly disregarding our decision for you to stay away from the wolves."

"You don't even know them! They're hardly dangerous," I scoffed. "You've met Jacob all of one time, and you couldn't name anyone else in the pack on your own if you tried."

"That is beside the point they are dangerous, Danielle!" He roared. Dad came outside just then. He did not look happy.

"That's enough, Edward. Danielle, go to your room. We _will_ be discussing this later."

It was the walk of fucking shame, I'll tell you. Everyone was in the living room and all of their stupid vampire eyes were on me.

I got to my room and a flopped on my bed. Had I made a stupid and reckless decision? Yes. Was it dangerous? No. Was it worth it? Yes.

Looks like my conscious was straight.

Someone knocked on the door – it was Dad.

I had learned at a very young age that Dad was the worst person to get into trouble with. Edward would yell at me, and Mom would punish me, but Dad would make me talk about it. He would always get to the root of the problem and would make me feel so bad about myself that I would cry. Then he would hug me and love me and it would make me feel even worse, because why should I deserve such a nice Dad like him when all I make are dumb decisions.

"Edward told me about you and Jacob," he started, sitting down next to me on my bed.

"Told you _what_ about me and Jacob?" I mumbled. My face was in my pillow.

"That he imprinted on you," Dad said, patting my back. It was his way of telling me to sit up. I did, and waited for Dad to continue.

"You must have had a lot to process. Do you have any questions?"

"Why aren't you mad at me?" I said in awe. There was no anger in his voice. There never was, but I could usually tell when I was in deep shit with him. This time was different.

"From what I understand, the imprint bond is one of the strongest bonds between two people in the world," he went on. He could be so frustrating sometimes.

"That doesn't answer my question," I told him.

"I understand why you snuck out to go see him, love," Dad smiled. "Am I happy you missed school to do it? Absolutely not, and you _will_ be making up all of the work. Do I understand why you did it? I think I have a good idea, so no, love, I'm not mad at you. It's another – what do you call it?"

"Human stuck in a supernatural world perk?" I guessed. He nodded.

"That's it," he smiled.

"So…imprinting…" I trailed. I needed my dad to be okay with this.

"It's not impossible. You're not a vampire, so there could be a viable relationship between you and Jacob. There's no legitimate reason for him to have not imprinted on you."

"Except there's an illegitimate reason?" I asked him.

"You're my daughter. I don't want you seeing boys at all, never mind werewolf ones," he smiled. I nudged him. "I want to protect you forever, and it's getting to a point where that's becoming less and less of my job."

"So you'll let me see Jacob?" No one else would like that, but if Dad gave me permission, than it wasn't their call.

"The imprint bond is the strongest bond," he repeated from earlier. "If I don't allow you to see him, you'll find a way anyways. You've always been stubborn. I've read _Romeo and Juliet_ and I will not be responsible for your future to turn out like hers. The devil you know is better than the devil you don't, I presume."

"Thank you, Daddy," I smiled, hugging him.

"You're welcome, love."


	40. Confessions

Edward wasn't talking to me. He wasn't even acknowledging my thoughts, which is how I knew something was _really_ wrong between us.

I don't fight with my siblings. Well, rarely would I ever fight with my siblings. There were always those things where Rosalie would get annoyed with me, or someone would include me, and I would get upset, but there was never a time where I couldn't even approach them to talk about it. There certainly was never a time when I thought they _hated_ me.

CONFESSIONS

This was different.

Since I came home, Edward had been silent. He didn't say 'hello,' 'goodbye,' or any of the sort. He didn't offer to drive me to school, in fact, I'm pretty sure he insisted I didn't since Jasper was suddenly so keen on having me ride with him and Alice. They were playing it off well, but I knew better.

Edward wanted nothing to do with me anymore. So much, in fact, that he was going to make Bella use her plane tickets to Florida. He would rather go to a place where he couldn't leave the house than stay in his own home with me.

Bella was no longer grounded, which meant he could go over there more often. Charlie wasn't thrilled, but he didn't have a choice. Bella, as far as I know, gave him an ultimatum. Edward had to be allowed in the house or she would move out.

Edward was with Bella at her house more than she was with us, which meant I didn't get to see her either. I talked to her in the hallway, but Edward was always there glaring, and it made me uncomfortable. Like I was poisoning her with my existence or something.

I tried to talk to him on several different occasions and he gave me nothing. It was almost worse than when he wasn't here at all. At least then I knew he wasn't absent on purpose.

"Danielle?" Jasper knocked on the door. _That's strange_. Jasper almost never came looking for me. If they were playing a game, he'd send Emmett. If Alice wanted me, she'd come get me herself. Jasper would usually wait until I came out to ask me anything.

"What's up?" I asked him, opening the door. He looked upset about something.

"Mom and Dad went hunting with Rosalie and Emmett, so it's just Alice and I here," Jasper explained.

"Okay…" I trailed off. I didn't understand.

"I was hoping we could talk about what's been going on with you."

"Like me and Jacob?" I asked him. Jacob had picked me up from school a few times so I could go hang out with him and the pack, so by now, everyone knew who my new 'boyfriend' was. I tried to explain that we were just friends, at least for now, but no one believed me.

"Just you," Jasper said softly. "I've been noticing some of your emotions lately, and I just wanted to check in and let you know that if you need to talk about anything, I'm here. Completely objective."

"Thanks, Jazz," I told him, smiling.

"I'm serious Danielle. I know Edward has been tough on you lately, but he does still love you," Jasper said.

"All right," I scoffed, shaking my head. I wasn't about to talk about this with Jasper.

"I mean it, Dani. He's concerned and worried, and it comes out as angry. Just like me when I get worried, I get protective. You make jokes. Alice throws herself into the future. Edward gets angry because he can't control anything. He's upset that he can't protect you if Jacob were to-"

"He won't," I interrupted.

"He can't control himself, Dani. Jacob the man would never hurt you. Emotionally, physically, anything. You are his imprint and we understand that. Accidents happen though, look at Emily. Sam got angry and Emily was standing too close. If Jacob were to ever get angry to the point of phasing, we know you. We know you would run right up to him and try to help. He wouldn't be able to control himself, Dani. You would get hurt, and it would kill us to know we couldn't protect you from that."

"I know you've been feeling like Edward doesn't love you anymore Dani, but that isn't the truth at all. He's going to Florida with Bella because he doesn't trust us enough to keep her here. He's not leaving because of you."

"What do you mean? What is there to protect her from?" Now I was on high alert. Any danger to Bella was a danger to me. Were the Volturi coming? Were they going to execute us?

"Relax, Dani, you're safe. Everyone is safe. Between the wolves and us, no one is going to get hurt."

"What is going on, Jasper?" I asked him. I needed answers.

"Alice had a vision that Victoria was coming back to Forks," Jasper answered. "Edward doesn't trust Victoria anywhere near Bella, so he felt better removing her from the threat. The rest of us are going to hunt her while he's gone."

"What about me?" I asked him. Usually I was left with a body guard in these situations.

"Carlisle suggested you go to La Push for the day Saturday," Jasper nearly hissed out.

"I'll be safe there?" I asked him.

"Absolutely. You'll be with the other imprints," Jasper explained.

"Okay, then," I said nervously.

"She's not after you. She's not going to get anywhere near you," Jasper promised. I nodded.

"Remember, Dani, Edward's scared. He's a worry-wort, you know that. He doesn't hate you. No one hates you. We just want you to be safe."

"Thanks, Jazz," I hugged him. He hugged me back.

ECLIPSE ECLIPSE ECLIPSE

 _It was storming outside. The thunder was deafening and the lightning was blinding. Mom was driving, telling me that everything would be okay. She was doing her best to be comforting, but she was crying. Her face was as wet as the pouring rain outside. Her eyes red and swollen. She had been crying for a long time._

 _All of a sudden, the car jerked and the world went black._

 _I opened my eyes to see my mother, lying unconscious in the front seat. Now, her whole body was red. Dripping with the blood from her body._ She's dead _, I thought to myself._ My mother is dead.

 _We weren't alone, though. I got out of the car to see pairs of eyes as red as my mother's blood surrounding us. The stepped forward from the shadows, blood dripping down their lips. Laurent. James. Victoria. The Volturi. Edward._

 _"It's time to make your decision," One of the men in the red cape said, stepping forward. Laurent, Victoria, and James looking on excitedly._

 _"What do you mean?" Little five year old me asked. I was too young to understand. Too young to know what was happening._

 _"You can choose, my dear. Vampire, or human."_

 _"I don't want to die," I started crying. "I don't want to die."_

 _"Vampire it is, then," The leader motioned to Edward as he stepped forward._

 _"You shouldn't have gone to La Push, Dani," Edward said, angrily._

 _"You promised you would never hurt me," I told him, now seventeen years old. "I don't want to die like this."_

 _"Now I know nothing will ever hurt you. It's the only way, Danielle. It's the only way."_

 _"I don't want to be a vampire, Edward!" I plead with him. He was still moving towards me. I backed away. "I don't want to be a vampire!"_

 _I screamed as he got close enough to bite into my neck – and he did._

"Danielle wake up!" Jasper was holding me, sending me waves of calm. Alice was beside him, holding my hand and stroking my hair. I was so groggy.

"What the hell?" I asked, sitting up. Jasper let out a sigh of relief.

"You had a nightmare," Alice said, quietly. "Just take deep breaths. You're okay."

"That was a bad one," I said, and tears started running down my face. Jasper and Alice stole a glance at each other.

"We know," Jasper said, almost cooing and holding me a little tighter. "We know."

"We didn't think you were going to wake up," Alice confessed. "We didn't know what else to do. That's why Jasper is holding you."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jasper asked. "You haven't had a nightmare like this in a while."

"I don't want to talk about it," I said sternly. They didn't need to know everything I feared. They would just sigh and tell me everything was going to be alright when nobody really knew. I had all but forgotten about the Volturi before this nightmare, and now I couldn't get their beady eyes out of my head. I couldn't get _Edward's_ eyes out of my head.

"Edward's calling back," Alice said. Edward was on a plane to Florida, I though.

"He must have landed. Answer it," Jasper told her. "Would you like to talk to him?" He asked me. I shook my head.

"She doesn't have a choice," Alice said, handing me the phone. "You don't have to talk, but he wants to say something to you. He's worried."

"Dani?" He was nearly hysterical. "Are you alright?"

I gave him silence. I gave him silence for all the times I needed him and he wasn't there. I gave him silence for all the times I wanted to apologize and talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. I gave him silence for him making me think that he hated me. I gave him silence because if I opened my mouth to talk, I was going to start sobbing and I would forgive him because he was my big brother and I never stopped loving him.

"Dani? Are you there?" Edward asked again over the phone. I could hear Bella in the background. She was worried too. I hoped Edward hadn't told her what was happening, but he probably did.

"I'm here," I said softly. I couldn't bring myself to say anything else.

"What's going on? What's wrong?" He asked. I could tell in his voice that he was trying to be the caring and sweet one now.

"Look, Dani," he started, realizing that I wasn't going to talk to him. "I just need to know that you're okay. Whatever happened, whatever you are worried about, you forget about it. There is absolutely no danger to you. I love you so much and you have certainly not deserved the way I have been treating you lately. I keep hurting you, and I am so sorry. I just want to talk with you. You are safe there, Dani. You are so safe because none of us would ever let anyone hurt you."

"You hurt me. You keep hurting me." I started crying. I needed him. I needed Edward. I needed to see him without the red in his eyes. Jasper started rubbing my back, calming me down.

"I know, I know I do. I'm sorry," Edward plead.

"I need my brother, Edward," I sobbed into the phone. "I need you."

"You don't need me, not right now. When I get home we _will_ talk, I promise, but you don't need me. You have Jasper and Alice, and even Jacob. It will all be alright."

"It won't," I cried. It wouldn't be alright. Not until I was a vampire, or worse. I went into hysterics.

"Give me the phone, Dani," Jasper said, coaching me. He looked at Alice and she nodded, taking my hand and helping me remember how to breathe again.

"She's terrified, Edward," I heard Jasper say quietly before leaving the room. I rested my head on Alice's shoulder.

"Does the cold feel good?" She asked. I nodded. Cold always helped ground me when I wasn't able to ground myself.

"Just relax, everything will be okay," Alice reminded me. "Jasper said I shouldn't bring it up, but I can't stop thinking about it. Is it true what you said in your dream?"

"I don't know what I said," I told her.

"That you don't want to be a vampire?" She looked afraid, but continued. "It's okay, you can tell me the truth."

I thought about it for a minute and then decided I should tell her. Despite my promise to myself that I would not put my family in danger, I was in a moment of weakness. Clearly I had already said what I was thinking inside, or she wouldn't have asked me.

"I don't want to be a vampire, Alice," I told her. She nodded.

"We know you don't," she said.

 **A/N: Thank you all so much for sticking with me! Students arrive tomorrow at my summer program, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to update again, but I'm hoping it is next THURSDAY at the LATEST. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! 3 Lexi**


	41. Protection

PROTECTION

Edward and Bella came home Sunday night after a very strange weekend.

After Friday night's antics, I thought things would go somewhat back to normal – and they did. I spent the day at La Push on Saturday with Emily and we baked for the boys. I didn't see Jacob all the much, just a little bit in the morning and before I left. He was pretty agitated when he came back from hunting Victoria.

Sunday was a weird day, though. Everyone was looking at me strangely. It was like nobody trusted me not to freak out on Sunday. Like I was some bomb about to burst.

Jasper and I played chess, and that was about as normal as it got. Mom spent the day cleaning, Dad tried, and failed, to help me against my brother, and Emmett and Rosalie spent most of their time alone together. Everyone was avoiding something.

I was asleep when Edward came home, but he woke me up anyways.

"Danielle," He murmured softly, rubbing my shoulder. I wasn't a particularly heavy sleeper, so this was usually enough.

"Hey you're back," I smiled. In my exhausted state I forgot I wasn't his number one fan at the moment. "How was Florida?"

"I'm not eager to go back, but Bella needed to see her mother," he didn't say anything after that.

"I'm glad you're back," I told him. "I'm still mad at you, though."

"I know. You deserve to be. You're too forgiving. You and Bella both."

"I was your girl before she was, you know," I told Edward, looking for some extra attention. Before Bella came along, it was always Edward and I. We were the other dynamic duo of the Cullen clan.

"You will always be my girl, you know that, but Bella is the love of my life in a very different way, just like Jacob will become the love of your life in that way someday. We will still be brother and sister, always."

"Or Great Uncle and Niece," I joked. He shook his head.

"You're impossible," he groaned, which made me laugh even harder.

"I missed you," I told him, hugging him. He took a moment and then relaxed. I was used to that reaction from my siblings.

"I'm so sorry, there were a thousand ways I could have handled myself better. I didn't realize how much I was hurting you," Edward said, running his fingers through my hair.

"I think it hurts more coming from you, because I want your approval the most," I admitted. Edward was the brother I always looked up to growing up. Emmett was the fun brother, and Jasper helped me with a lot, but Edward was always the one I wanted to be with. We had a bond like no other.

"I don't approve of your relationship with Jacob, and I'm not sure I ever will," Edward said, harshly. It cut me like a knife. "He's dangerous, and I stand by that. I can't control the imprint bond, however, so I understand why you need to see him. Why you will love him someday. I'm happy that you will get to have that relationship with someone. It doesn't change the fact that I don't trust him."

"You will," I said, yawning. "Someday, you will trust my Jacob."

" _Your_ Jacob?" Edward asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Just like she's _your_ Bella. He's _my_ Jacob. I get to have him."

"You already love him, don't you?" Edward perceived.

"In a lot of ways, yes. In others, I'm not sure yet."

"He won't hurt you. Not like that other pathetic human did," Edward promised. It wasn't his promise to make, though.

"I can't help but feel like words aren't enough anymore. I thought Andrew and I were going to last forever, but there were too many things that I didn't see. I'm scared that I'm so blinded by this imprint thing that I won't be able to see those things with Jacob, and I'm going to get hurt again. I just need time to be convinced that that's not going to happen."

"Time is the one thing he can give you," Edward nodded. "You have plenty of time."

"I hope so," I added softly, but of course Edward heard me.

"You do. You have nothing to worry about. Let us worry about all of the other pieces. In the mean time, you should get back to sleep. We all have school tomorrow."

" _Great_ ," I was thrilled.

"You'll be fine," Edward chuckled, standing up. "Good night, Danielle."

"Night," I said back to him. I wished they had snow days in April.

ECLIPSE ECLIPSE ECLIPSE ECLIPSE

Edward offered to drive me to school today. It was the first day since Jacob that Edward let me ride with him. It made going to school bearable.

The ride was almost silent, mostly due to cellular technology, but there also wasn't that much to talk about. Until we rounded a corner near the school and Edward made an unusual request.

"If I asked you two to do something would you trust me?"

"That depends on what you want us to do," I answered back, quickly.

"I was afraid you would say that," Edward mumbled. Bella looked at him.

"What do you want us to do, Edward?" Bella asked.

"I want you to stay in the car. I want you to wait here until I come back for you," Edward looked at me in particular. _Why? Was something wrong?_

Bella looked and saw him before I did.

"Oh," she said. Bella was still pretty much banned from seeing Jacob. I, however, had the imprint pass.

"Jacob!" I said, and rushed out of the car and into his arms. It felt _extremely_ good to see him again after the events of the weekend.

"Hey Dani!" he said, picking me up and squeezing me in the most wonderful hug I have ever received.

"I missed you," I told him as he put me down.

"You were just there Saturday," Edward growled, coming up behind me with Bella. I rolled my eyes. Apparently Bella won that argument.

"Edward, enough," I told him. "What are you doing here, Jake?"

"You didn't even tell your own _sister_?" Jacob scoffed.

"You could have called us," Edward said, dangerously. He was not pleased by Jacob's presence.

"Sorry," Jacob answered. "I don't have any leeches on my speed dial." I smacked him, hurting myself more than I hurt him.

"Be nice," I hissed at him. He knew I didn't like his nicknames for my family.

"Sorry," he said. I didn't believe him, but I let it go.

"You could have reached me at Bella's house, of course," Edward said, ignoring Jacob. Jacob didn't like this and I felt him tense up. Edward glanced at me, but I was only looking at Jacob. He wouldn't phase here, would he?

This is hardly the place, Jacob," Edward said, keeping a careful eye on Jake. "Could we discuss this later?"

"Sure, sure. I'll stop by your crypt after school," Jacob snorted. Edward growled. Jacob must have adjusted the end of that, and I'm not sure I wanted to know what he was thinking. "What's wrong with now?"

Edward looked around, redirecting our attention to our classmates that were watching. I saw Andrew and Fiona looking on, and I grabbed Jacob's hand. A part of me wanted to make Andrew jealous and show him that I was fine. Jacob looked at me strangely, albeit accepting my hand.

"I already know what you came to say," Edward reminded Jacob in a voice so low that I could barely make it out. I forgot how dangerous he could make himself sound. "Message delivered. Consider us warned." Edward glanced at Bella quickly, but neither Bella nor I missed it. Bella was paying attention now.

"Warned?" She asked. "What are you talking about?"

"You didn't tell Bella either?" Jacob's eyes widened. "I can see why you wouldn't want to concern Danielle, but not telling _Bella_? What, were you afraid she'd take our side?" I was worried now. What didn't they want me to know?

"Please drop it, Jacob," Edward warned more than requested.

"Why?" Jacob challenged. I looked at him pleading with him not to take it further than he had to. Bella was frowning, clearly confused.

"What don't I know? Edward?" He was going to have to tell her now. Even if he didn't tell me, I would most definitely be getting it out of Jacob later.

"Jake?" Bella had the same idea I did. If Edward wasn't going to tell her, she'd go to the man who would.

"He didn't tell you that his big," Jacob looked at me, " _brother_ crossed the line Saturday night?"

"What?" I yelled, attracting more attention. "Edward!" I scolded. This was something I should have known about.

"Paul was totally justified in-" Jacob started before getting cut off by Edward.

"It was no-man's land!" Edward hissed.

"Was not!" Jacob said, getting visibly angry now. He was trembling. I put my hand on his arm to try and calm him down.

"Jake," I said softly, trying to ease the tension despite the fact that everyone's energy was a little high right now. Jacob nodded and took a few deep breaths.

"Emmett and Paul?" Bella whispered. She knew what I knew. The thought of Emmett and Paul fighting was terrifying. They were both the biggest and the strongest in their groups.

"What happened? Were they fighting?" Bella was panicking. I just focused on Jacob's face, trying to find out what happened. "Why? Did Paul get hurt?" Bella assumed that Emmett was stronger and faster than Paul. I wasn't sure that she was right, but the thought of Emmett getting hurt by Paul was unfathomable.

"No one fought," Edward said quietly, now in control of himself again. "No one got hurt. Don't be anxious."

Jacob was in shock that neither of us knew this. "You didn't tell them anything at all, did you? Is that why you took Bella away? So she wouldn't know that-"

"Leave now," Edward demanded, and despite looking frightening before, this time he truly looked like the creature of the night that he was. I took a step closer to Jacob because I was actually afraid of him. Of my brother and what he would do to him. Jacob of course enjoyed the challenge, and took a step towards him instead.

"Why haven't you told her?" Jacob asked him, making fists with his hands. Enough was enough. This had to stop before they fought right here in front of my high school.

"Guys, stop. You're scaring me," I said, but they both ignored me. I was too focused on them to notice that Bella was hyperventilating next to me. She figured out what I had already known about.

"She came back for me," Bella choked out. _That's_ why Victoria was back in Forks in the first place. She came back to kill Bella. Bella handled the news about as well as I did, except she was conscious. Edward pulled his gaze from Jacob and pulled Bella to his side. He stood between her and Jacob and stroked her face.

"It's fine," he whispered to her. "It's fine. I'll never let her get close to you, it's fine."

Bella was still shaking. Jacob looked almost smug about the whole thing. I hated the way he acted around my family. It wasn't fair. Just then, Edward glared at him.

"Does that answer your question, mongrel?" Edward snarled.

"You don't think Bella has a right to know? Or that Danielle has a right to know about what trouble her brothers are getting into? It's their lives, leech."

"Why should they be frightened if there is no danger? Why should Bella have to live each day in fear and why should Danielle have to suffer from nightmares every night?

"You've been having nightmares?" Jacob asked, a little hurt that I hadn't gone to him before about this. It wasn't something I talked about to anyone, so it never came up.

"It's not something I talk about," I told him, honestly. "Do you really think hurting Bella is better than protecting her?" I asked him, looking over to where Bella was now crying. "Would you hurt me like that?"

"She's tougher than you think," Jacob said. "And she's been through worse."

Abruptly, Jacob's expression shifted, and he was staring at Edward with an odd, speculative expression. His eyes narrowed like he was trying to do a difficult math problem in his head. I looked over at my brother, who was now grimacing in pain.

"Jacob what are you doing?" I yelled at him. "Stop!"

"That's funny," Jacob said, laughing as he watched Edward's face. Edward winced, but smoothed his expression with a little effort. He couldn't quite hide the agony in his eyes. I glanced, wide-eyed, from Edward's grimace to Jacob's sneer.

"What did you do to him?" Bella demanded.

"It's nothing, Bella," Edward told me quietly. "Jacob just has a good memory, that's all." Jacob grinned, and Edward winced again.

"Stop it! Whatever you're doing." "Sure, if you want." Jacob shrugged. "It's his own fault if he doesn't like the things I remember, though." I glared at him, and he smiled back impishly — like a kid caught doing something he knows he shouldn't be. I shook my head at him. He knew better than to do things like that.

"The principal's on his way to discourage loitering on school property," Edward murmured to Bella, but I heard him. "Let's get to English, Bella, so you're not involved. Dani, you should get to class as well."

"Overprotective, isn't he?" Jacob said, talking just to Bella. "A little trouble makes life fun. Let me guess, you're not allowed to have fun, are you?"Edward glowered, and his lips pulled back from his teeth ever so slightly.

"Shut up, Jake," Bella said. Jacob laughed.

"Hey, if you ever feel like having a life again, you could come see me. I've still got your motorcycle in my garage. You'd love them, Dani," Jacob said. Edward growled, still trying to get Bella and I to leave.

"You were supposed to sell that. You promised Charlie you would."

"Yeah, right. Like I would do that. It belongs to you, not me. Anyway, I'll hold on to it until you want it back."

"Jake . . ." Bella said. She knew that things would never go back to the way they were. Not if Edward was involved.

Jacob leaned forward into Bella, his sarcasm fading. "I think I might have been wrong before, you know, about not being able to be friends. Maybe we could manage it, on my side of the line. Come see me."

"I don't know about that, Jake," Bella said sadly. I knew how much she missed him too.

"I miss you every day, Bella. It's not the same without you." A little knife ran through my heart at Jacob's words. I knew that as much as Jacob loved me, I would never be Bella. They had a relationship that I would never be a part of. He fixed her and in many ways, she fixed him, and there was nothing I could do about it.

"I know and I'm sorry, Jake, I just . . ." He shook his head, and sighed.

"I know. Doesn't matter, right? I guess I'll survive or something. At least Dani has been released from prison," he said, pulling me tight. He needed the physical comfort. He may have a tough bravado, but he was truly a softy on the inside. Bella's words hurt him more than she would ever know.

"Okay, get to class," a stern voice sounded behind us. "Move along, Mr. Crowley."

"Get to school, Jake," I whispered, anxious as soon as I recognized the principal's voice. "I don't want you to get in trouble, here." Jacob went to the Quileute school, but he might still get in trouble for trespassing or the equivalent. Edward pulled Bella behind him as Mr. Greene pushed through the circle of spectators, his brows pressing down like ominous storm clouds over his small eyes.

"I mean it," Mr. Greene was threatening. "Detention for anyone who's still standing here when I turn around again."

The audience melted away before he was finished with his sentence. "Ah, Mr. Cullen. Do we have a problem here?"

"Not at all, Mr. Greene. We were just on our way to class."

"Excellent. I don't seem to recognize your friend." Mr. Greene turned his glower on Jacob. "Are you a new student here?" Mr. Greene's eyes scrutinized Jacob, and I could see that he'd come to the same conclusion everyone else had: dangerous. A troublemaker. It hurt me that people saw my Jacob that way.

"Nope," Jacob answered, half a smirk on his broad lips.

"Then I suggest you remove yourself from school property at once, young man, before I call the police." Jacob's little smirk became a full-blown grin, and I knew he was probably picturing Charlie showing up to arrest him.

"Yes, sir!" Jacob saluted before hopping onto his bike and kicking it into gear. "Call me when you get a chance, Dani!" He said before taking off.

Mr. Greene gnashed his teeth together while he watched the performance. "Mr. Cullen, I expect you to ask your friend to refrain from trespassing again."

"He's no friend of mine, Mr. Greene, but I'll pass along the warning."

"It's my fault, Mr. Greene," I said, taking responsibility. "He's my boyfriend. He was saying some stuff and it got heated. I'll talk to him and make sure it doesn't happen again." Mr. Greene pursed his lips. Edward's perfect grades and spotless record were clearly a factor in Mr. Greene's assessment of the incident, regardless of what my reputation was.

"I see. If you're worried about any trouble, I'd be happy to —"

"There's nothing to worry about, Mr. Greene. There won't be any trouble," I told him.

"I hope that's correct. Well, then. On to class. You, too, Miss Swan."


	42. Love and Let Love

LOVE AND LET LOVE

It wasn't long after my first class got out that Andrew found me in the hallway.

"Dani, wait up!" He called. I kept walking. _Don't let him charm you_ , I told myself.

"Danielle, please," He said, a little softer, closer behind me. If he really wanted to, he could easily pass me. I decided to talk to him anyways.

"What do you want?" I turned around, snapping at him. I wasn't exactly thrilled to talk to him, never mind that my patience had been worn very thin after this morning's events.

"Who was that guy you and Edward were talking to earlier? The big one?" He asked, a bit sheepishly.

"Jacob," I said, not giving him the answer he wanted.

"Is he like, your new boyfriend or something? Is that why Edward didn't like him?"

"For your information, he isn't my boyfriend. He's a boy, who is a friend, but we're not together. And no, that's not why Edward doesn't like him."

"It looked like you two were pretty tight," Andrew pushed. "I know the way you look at him. You used to look at me that way."

"Shut up," I said suddenly, realizing Andrew was right, even if I didn't want to admit it to him. Even if I didn't want to admit it to myself. I loved Jacob. I loved Jacob more than a best friend. We were more than that now, without even talking about what that meant.

"I'm not trying anything, Danielle, I promise," Andrew said, hands raised. "Look, if you found someone…that would be good. What I did to you…well, it wasn't my best moment. I didn't treat you right. I'm sorry for that."

I nodded, telling him to continue. At least he was apologizing.

"I'm with Fiona now, and, as much as you're not going to like hearing this, we're good for each other. You and I, we were never going to work. I know you thought that we were going to get married and all that shit, but it was never going to happen. We weren't into the same things, you know?"

"You're an asshole," I said, rolling my eyes and walking away. This wasn't the kind of apology I wanted from him. This was just him making it seem like the whole thing was my fault. This was him manipulating me. Again. Except this time, I wasn't going to fall for it.

"Danielle!" He called after me, running up behind me. "Stop."

"Why? Why should I stop for you when all you do is tell me how crappy of a relationship we had? How _great_ your relationship with my former best friend is? I'm over it, Andrew. Boyfriend or not, I am over you. I am over your bullshit. I am over your manipulative insecurities. I am over you. What I do in my life is officially none of your business. I don't know what you want, but I can't deal with all the shit I am going through at home right now _and_ your shit. You need to take a step back and go back your girlfriend. I'm not your problem anymore."

"All I'm saying is be careful with him, Danielle. You might have looked at him the way you used to look at me, but the way he looked at you was kind of creepy. It's clear Edward doesn't like him for one reason or another…all I'm saying is maybe this time you should listen to him."

"Give it up, Andrew," I said and finally walked away. He didn't know half of what he was talking about.

I got into my second period class and texted Jacob. He would be home by now. Mr. Greene might have thought that Jacob was going to school, but I knew better. He went home to sleep. Hopefully, he was up.

 _What happened Saturday night? Facts only, please._ I sent him.

 _Victoria came back. The Cullens had planned to hunt her, but we were patrolling and caught her scent. We were both after the same enemy. Emmett crossed the line and Paul was defending the treaty._ I was proud of how objective Jacob sounded.

 _They could have hurt each other._ I scolded.

 _Yeah, it could have been bad._ Jacob admitted.

 _If you all are going to keep hunting Victoria together, you should set new boundaries._ I offered as a solution.

 _Dani, I love you, but don't try and get involved in this. The Cullens are your family, so they are protected, treaty or no treaty. I reminded Paul of that afterwards._ I breathed a sigh of relief.

 _So why are you so pissy around Edward? Why does it not matter that you hurt_ him? I asked. I didn't want to fight over text message, but I needed answers.

 _You weren't there. You didn't see Bella. I can't let him get away with that, sorry._ Jacob responded.

 _Stop hurting him when I'm around, then. It's not fair to me to see you both like that._ I played my cards. Jacob would stop now.

 _I'm sorry I hurt you_ _L_ _._ Jacob sent. Then quickly, another message came.

 _Dinner? We'll talk about it._

 _Okay. Pick me up from school?_ I asked him. No way would Edward give me a ride after today.

 _Sure, sure ;)_ Jacob sent.

After Jacob sent his last message, I quickly sent a text to Edward, since I wouldn't be seeing him anymore today. He was _not_ going to be happy, but there was nothing he could do about it.

* * *

I walked outside after school to see Jacob waiting there on his motorcycle. He usually picked me up in the Rabbit, mostly because motorcycles freaked me out. I knew he rode them, but I didn't want any part of that.

"No Rabbit today?" I asked, wearily.

"I busted something, have to get some parts to fix it. You okay with the motorcycle? I can call Sam and use his car and come back if you want?" Jacob said, knowing my uncertainty.

"It's fine, I'll deal," I said, trying to smile. He knew better, but he dropped it anyways.

"Hold on tight," he said. He didn't have to tell me twice.

When we arrived, a jumped off as quickly and as safely as possible. Jacob gave me a strange look.

"How is it you can ride piggyback with a vampire, but motorcycles freak you out?"

"No one has ever died riding piggyback with a vampire," I wanted to say, but I didn't. I didn't want to start that battle, not right now. Instead, I just shrugged. Jake shook his head and pulled me into a hug.

"You look exhausted," he said, running his fingers through my hair. I pulled away from him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, following after me.

"I shouldn't have come here," I said, softly. I shouldn't be doing this. Not today. I was terrified. _Breathe_.

"What do you mean? Dani, what's going on?" Jacob was right beside me. "Is it the nightmares? Victoria? What's wrong?"

"I love you," I said out loud. I had never done that before. Not with him.

"I love you too," Jacob answered, still worried.

"Jake," I said. "Listen. I _love_ you. I don't want to be best friends anymore. I want to start our life together. The right way."

Jacob rushed over to me and lifted me into his arms. I welcomed them and relaxed in his embrace. A strange feeling came over me and I knew I could trust him forever. With my life. With my heart. I looked into his eyes for what seemed like a lifetime before finally connecting my lips with his.

I felt him tense up at first, surprised at my sudden decision, but he quickly returned my show of love. I couldn't breathe anymore, but I was okay with that.

After a few minutes, we broke apart, and my heart ached a little bit. My body knew what – or who – it wanted before my mind did. I felt a thousand times better now that I had given it what it wanted.

"That feels good, doesn't it?" Jacob asked, smiling.

"Yeah," I said, still trying to catch my breath.

"It felt good for me too, finally being able to kiss you like that," Jacob admitted, blushing. It was cute.

"How long have you wanted to do that? To kiss me?" I asked him.

"My soul has wanted it from the first day I met you. My mind has wanted it from the day I realized you weren't a threat to everything I believe."

"Guilty until proven innocent?" I challenged him. He shrugged.

"Can you blame me?" He challenged back. I guess I couldn't.

"Can we actually talk about that? While I'm on a courage streak?" I decided to change the subject. I was his. He was mine. It was official.

"Talk about what?" He asked, pulling his eyebrows together.

"I love you. We're going to be in each other's lives forever. That means you're going to have to learn how to control yourself around my family – particularly Edward."

"Look, about this morning-"

"I don't want to talk about this morning. He's my big brother. He's my great-uncle, or whatever. Regardless, he's my family. We're closer than you can imagine, and I know you don't like hearing this, but when you hurt him, you hurt me. If we're going to be involved with each other, you need to stop torturing him. I know he hurt Bella. Trust me. He hurt me too when we left," Jacob growled at that part. "Relax, Jake, it's fine. The point is, it happened, and Bella is happy with him. Whatever you two had, it was nothing like what Edward and Bella have together."

Jacob visibly winced at what I said. It killed me to hurt him, but he had to hear this.

"I'm not trying to hurt you," I said, placing my hand on the side of his face. "What Edward and Bella have, it's like what you and I have. Their bond is _that_ strong, Jake. You need to stop punishing Edward for it, just like Edward needs to stop punishing you for your relationship with me. You can't control who you love. More importantly, you need to stop punishing Bella. Nothing that has happened this past month is her fault. I would have made all of those same decisions for you, Jake."

I waited eagerly for him to respond. He thought carefully about what he was going to say, and it took a while. I thought the anxiety of waiting was going to kill me. Finally, he took a deep breath and spoke up.

"Thank you," he said. I was confused. I gave him this big long speech and all he gave me was _Thank you?_

"For what?"

"For being honest with me," he said. "You're right."

"You don't hate me?" I asked him.

"Of course not, I could never hate you," Jacob said, pulling me back into his arms. That feeling came over me again.

"What happens now?" I asked him, looking out over the water into the sunset.

"We love and let love," Jacob said, kissing me again. If this is what love felt like, I would be perfectly fine.


	43. A Little Less Conversation

A LITTLE LESS CONVERSATION

"Can I ask you something?" Jacob said. We were watching the sun set on the beach and just enjoying each other's presence. It was a different kind of peaceful. I think I had finally got the Capulets and the Montagues to get along. Maybe Romeo and Juliet _could_ be together without it ending in bloodshed.

"Of course," I told him. "You can ask me anything."

"Why didn't you tell me you've been having nightmares?" He asked, playing with my hair.

"I just...I don't really tell anyone about them," I answered softly. I hadn't really ever considered telling Jake about them. My family knew, but that's because they lived with me. To be honest, Edward telling Jacob was the first time it had ever been mentioned outside of my bedroom.

"Why?" Jacob pushed. I shrugged.

"I've had them for as long as I can remember. They're always the same," I told him. "They've just become a part of me, I guess."

"A part of you that you're ashamed of?" Jacob asked. I had never thought of it that way before.

"A weakness, I guess. I don't know," I sat up. This conversation was uncomfortable. Jacob could sense that.

"What are they about?" Jacob redirected, seeing he was getting nowhere on the other path.

"It's always the same," I told him. "It starts off with my parents - my _human_ parents - fighting, and then my mom driving off. After that, it's always the crash, then the enemy, whoever that is at the time."

"Who is it usually?"

"Before Bella, it was always my dad. He was the enemy," I answered.

"Who is it now?"

"It alternates. My subconscious picks, I guess. Mostly Victoria. James. The usual."

"You never talk about your human parents," Jake pointed out. "Do you miss them?"

"My mom died and I have no idea where my dad is. Edward told me once that he just signed custody away no questions asked. So I guess I don't really care where he is."

"Why did your mom leave him?" I shrugged. I was five when this all went down. I don't remember much.

"Sorry if it's getting too personal. My mom died when I was little too, if that helps. I barely remember her."

"I'm sorry," I told him. I had a few really good memories of my human mom. She would have been a great mom, if she were still alive.

"Do you miss your human mom? Wonder what it would be like if she hadn't died?"

"All the time," I admitted. It wasn't something that I shared openly with my family, but there were plenty of times growing up I wished vampires were not a part of my life. There were plenty of times I cursed at the universe for sending a vampire to kill my mom. Jake didn't need to know that, though.

"Me too," Jacob nodded. "We're more alike than you know, Danielle Cullen."

"I know," I said. "I've known that since I met you."

"How?" Jacob sat up, shocked.

"When I was in elementary school, one of my teachers said that I had sad eyes. She said I was beautiful and my face showed my spark, but my eyes showed my sadness. I have been trying ever since to not let anyone else see my 'sad eyes.' When I saw you, I saw the same thing. You have 'sad eyes' that you're trying to hide."

"That's deep," Jacob said in awe.

"I knew that you were like me. That you had an eternity of secrets and an eternity of burdens, but you still pretended everything was okay, because at the end of the day, you didn't want the people you love to know how much their secrets and burdens hurt you."

Jacob just nodded and rubbed my back. After a moment of silence, he said "You want to know the best part about loving someone that has the same problems as you?"

"Sure," I said, turning back to him.

"You can tell them, because they understand. They understand how heavy the bag you're carrying is, and they're willing to help you carry it. You just have to let them."

"So what you're saying is I should be telling you about my nightmares?" I smiled.

"Of course I want to you to tell me about your nightmares. I want you to tell me when Edward is driving you insane and when you feel like you're so insignificant in this supernatural world. I want to know your hopes, your dreams, and all of your fears. I want to know everything about you, Danielle. I love you, and I want you to let me. You have been alone in this scary world for so long. You have someone now. Someone who will understand literally _all_ of it. Someone who will love you through all of it. I'm here, but you have to let me help you."

"Okay," I said, nodding. "Okay."

"Come on, let's get you home," Jacob said, as the sky started to turn dark. "You know what happens with werewolves when the moon comes out," he joked. I rolled my eyes.

"You're an idiot," I smiled.

"I know you are, but what am I?" He smiled back.

"I'm dating a child!" I yelled in response. He just laughed and picked me up, swinging me around.

Jacob might act like a child, but he really did bring out the best in me.


	44. All Is Fair in Love and War

FIGHT

 **A/N: Okay, so I gave you guys a long one for two reasons: one, I feel rotten about not being able to update as frequently recently. Instead of being an advisor for Day Students, I am now and advisor for Residential Students, so even on my off nights I have a lot less time to myself to write. I also haven't been off that much recently. Secondly, a lot of this comes straight out of Stephanie Meyer's brain. With that said, anything you recognize belongs to her and I take no credit for it whatsoever. I realized about half way in that a few things had to change a little to work with the whole imprint thing, but I tried not to stray too far from the real story. Hopefully you all enjoy it! Happy reading!**

Bella was driving me insane.

She was under the impression that she _had_ to become a vampire as soon as possible. She thought that it was not only the best thing for her, but also for my family. My family was doing everything in their power to convince her otherwise, especially Edward.

"I don't understand what the big deal is!" Bella vented one night. It was one of the few moments we had – just the two of us. Edward was hunting and Jacob was tracking Victoria. It was a rough night for both of us, so I finally called Bella the next morning and asked if she wanted to hang out. Inevitably, her wanting to become a vampire became the topic of interest.

"The big deal is they don't want you to throw your life away!" I answered her. Unlike Bella, I did not want to become a vampire. I had talked to Alice about it a few times, asking her if she saw me becoming one anyways, but she couldn't see much of anything of me anymore. Not since Jacob imprinted.

"It isn't throwing my life away it is saving it," Bella grumbled.

"Don't you think he's thought of that?" I asked her. "Thought about how much easier it would be for all of you if he just changed you? He wouldn't be in pain anymore, he wouldn't be tempted to kill you 24/7, and no vampires would be trying to kill you. It would solve everyone's problems."

"That's what I'm saying!" Bella groaned.

"But you're not listening to what _I'm_ saying. They, and by they I mean my _entire_ family, value your human life over everything else. Keeping you human is the priority."

"But I don't want it to be! I am more than ready to become a vampire!"

"Bella, you don't know what you're asking. You've been around them for what? A year – maybe two? You don't know how hard this life can be sometimes. How bad it feels when you kill someone or spill the beans. How mean people can be because they think you're different."

Bella's tone turned soft after that. "Have people hurt you because of who your family is?" She asked.

"I remember this one time, Jasper almost lost it at the local high school. If it weren't for Alice and Edward, he probably would have killed him. This guy was picking on Alice for being so short, and Jasper couldn't control himself. He got real close and broke the guy's arm.

Word got to the Middle School real fast and people just stopped hanging out with me. I was one of the 'crazy Cullens.' I practically begged my family to move after that."

"That's terrible I'm so sorry that happened to you," Bella said.

"I'm not saying that you never want to be a vampire, it's okay that you do. All I'm saying is that you need to understand that it isn't all butterflies and fairies all the time. I've seen my family go through a lot of hardships and suffering because of who they are. None of them, especially Edward, are eager to bring you into that."

"I'm already into it, though, Dani," Bella countered. I nodded.

"In many ways you are, but it many ways you aren't. It may be frustrating and it may seem like they're treating you like a child, but they are just trying to protect you."

"I wish they'd stop," Bella said, then looked at the clock on her wall. "Dammit!" She yelled and raced around her room.

"What the hell?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"I'm going to be late for work, you'll need to get a ride home, I'm so sorry!" Bella yelled, still scrambling.

"Relax, I was going to Jake's anyways. I'll just call Emily. Someone will be around."

"How do you get away with spending so much time over there?" Bella asked.

"I told my family that they had to choose. They could pick me, or they could pick their distrust of werewolves. They don't have to think of Jake as their family, but they have to acknowledge that he's forever a part of mine."

"I can't imagine that went well," Bella scoffed.

"It didn't, but they realized that they really didn't have a choice." I paused for a minute before continuing. "I know Jacob would really appreciate it if you did the same thing…" I trailed off. "He misses you. He won't talk about it much when I'm around, but I know he does."

"I know, I miss him too."

"Then tell my brother to stop being a dick and let you see him," I grumbled. Bella sighed.

"You know it's not that easy," Bella said.

"I've been doing it for years. Grow a pair, Bella!" I said, throwing her pillow at her. She just rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure you have a ride? I need to leave or I'm going to be late."

"Go for it. I'll wait on the porch. Someone will come get me eventually."

"Alright. Lock up on your way out," Bella said. She started to walk away, but turned at the last second. "Tell Jake I said 'hi,' okay?"

"Absolutely," I said.

ECLIPSE ECLIPSE ECLIPSE

It wasn't long after I texted her that Emily arrived. She had been in town anyways grocery shopping.

"Why were you at Bella's house?"

"I missed her. We rarely get a chance to hang out just the two of us and I was taking advantage of no boys," I smiled. Emily totally understood that. Rarely was her house not full of teenage boys. She and Sam were easily pack mom and dad.

"Got you," She nodded. "How is she doing?"

"She's alright. Frustrated with everything that is going on, but she's alright. She's not crazy Bella anymore, so that's good."

"I remember seeing her for the first time…I don't know what that boy did to her, but she looked awful."

"He can be an idiot sometimes," I agreed. Part of me still didn't forgive Edward for making us leave. Part of me didn't think I ever would, and he understood that.

"Sorry! I totally forgot he was your brother!" Emily said, shocked that she would say something about my family like that.

"Oh, I guess I'm used to it," I said, thinking about all the times Jacob insulted my family and _didn't_ apologize.

"He really shouldn't be doing that you know. None of them should. I have tried to talk to them."

"Honestly at this point I just shrug it off. I've accepted that on either side they're not going to get along. I just appreciate that they both seemed to have accepted that just because they don't like each other doesn't mean I love either of them any less. _I_ will never chose a side."

"What if you had to?" Emily asked. "What if one day, you didn't have a choice, but something happened? Your family is going to have to move eventually, would you go with them? Or someday when you and Jake have a family? What about your children? Will you show them that world?"

I hadn't thought about it like that. I had been convinced that I would be able to stay in the middle of this crazy supernatural battle forever. Jake and I. My family and I. But Emily had made a frightening point. Someday, my family wouldn't just be the Cullens. Someday, I would have little human babies. Could I force them into the same world that I had been forced into? How could I lie to them?

"I didn't mean to make you afraid…" Emily said, noticing my changed expression. "It's just something that maybe you should start thinking about."

"Good news is I don't plan on having babies anytime," I smiled, shaking it off. I pushed the thoughts away for a later day, just like I always did.

"We're here," Emily announced, pulling into Jake's driveway. The front lights were still on, I would have to shut them off. They couldn't afford to waste electricity.

"Thank you so much, Emily!" I told her, hugging her on the way out.

"Any time, hun! See you later!"

"See you later!"

I turned away from her and walked into the house – I was way past knocking at this point. Billy was in the kitchen, and smiled when he saw me walk in.

"Hey Dani," he said. "Jake's sleeping. He just got back a little while ago. Make yourself at home in the mean time!"

"Thanks, Billy," I smiled walking past him and into Jake's room.

I rarely ever saw Jake sleep. Most of the time, if he was sleeping, I was as well. In reality, most of the time he just plain wasn't sleeping. It was a beautiful sight.

"Stop staring at me," Jake mumbled from beneath the pillows. It came as a surprise to me because he usually slept like a rock.

"I thought you were sleeping," I chastised, laying down with him on his bed. It was warm.

"I was trying to, but I heard you walk in. I thought you weren't coming today?" Jake asked sitting up.

"I got bored," I smiled. AKA Bella had to work.

"Works for me," he smiled, kissing me. That's when we heard the familiar roar of Bella's truck.

"Is that…?" Jake asked before racing to the front door. I followed quickly behind him.

"Bella you made it!" I cheered for her when she made it.

"Hey guys!" Bella said, getting out of her truck, smiling and blushing. Jake ran over to her and hugged her.

"Hey Bella! How did you get here?" He asked spinning her around.

"I snuck out!" She laughed. _So much for work_ , I thought to myself.

"Awesome!" Jacob said, bringing Bella back to where I was standing, now with Billy who had come out to see what all the ruckus was about.

"Hey Bella!" He greeted her.

"Hey Billy!" She responded. She came up and hugged me. "Thank you," she whispered, but I was confused. She just winked at my confused face.

"Welcome back," I said, shaking it off.

"You guys weren't in the middle of something, were you?" Bella asked, worried that we already had plans.

"Nope! We were probably going to end up going for a walk on the beach or something. You're welcome to join us. I'm sure Jake here would love the chance to catch up with you," I offered. Jake nodded, squeezing my hand. He knew how hard it was to bring her here, but he needed it. Bella was his best friend.

The conversation was mostly small talk. I would throw in pieces here and there, but for the first time, I was basically third-wheeling Bella and Jacob. I understood why they needed to see each other. They both filled holes that Edward and I couldn't fill. They had a history. It doesn't mean I had to like it. Finally, though, the conversation got real. Got sensitive. Got interesting.

"So what's the story, anyway?" Jacob asked. "I mean, since the last time we…well, before, you know…" He trailed off. He had heard the story from me, but he wanted to hear it from her. He was just having a hard time asking. "What I'm asking is…everything is just back to the way it was before he left? You forgave him for all of that?"

Bella took a deep breath before answering. She was much more generous and forgiving than I was. "There was nothing to forgive." She answered like I knew she would. Jacob didn't like that answer.

"I wish Sam had taken a picture when he found you that night last September. It would be exhibit A." I cringed. Edward wasn't on trial. I squeezed Jacob's hand to remind him that I was here and maybe he should cool down a little.

"Nobody's on trial," Bella answered for me.

"Maybe somebody should be," Jacob growled. I squeezed his hand a little harder.

"Stop it," I warned him.

"Not even you would blame him for leaving, if you knew the reason why," Bella reasoned with him.

"Okay, amaze me," Jacob challenged.

"Edward left me last fall because he didn't think I should be hanging out with vampires. He thought it would be healthier for me if he left," Bella explained. The words worked. Jacob had nothing to say.

"He came back, though, didn't he? Too bad he can't stick to a decision." _Ouch._ If we hadn't come back, I wouldn't be with Jacob. He knew that. I let go of his hand. He caught on to the double meaning behind what he said, but Bella cut back in before he could apologize.

"If you remember correctly, I went and got him."

"That's true," Jacob relaxed. The worst was over – for now. He took my hand again and squeezed. He was sorry. I rested my head on his shoulder. I forgave him.

"So I never did get the full story. What happened?" Jacob asked. I had never bothered to tell him. It never came up. Bella hesitated though, sharing a look with me. I shrugged. If she wanted to tell him she was welcome to it.

Jacob caught our looks. "Is it a secret?" He taunted. "Are you not allowed to tell me?"

"No, it's just a really long story," Bella surrendered. Jacob went to a spot where we could sit down and patted down next to him, signaling for Bella to sit down.

"I don't mind long stories. Is there any action?" Jacob asked, like a young child wanting to see a superhero movie. I rolled my eyes.

"There's some action," Bella said. Jake smiled.

"It wouldn't be a true horror story without action," He slipped. I hit him.

"Jacob Black!" I yelled at him. Bella looked just as annoyed as I did.

"Sorry," he said shamefully, pulling me onto his lap. "I'll be good."

"Can you actually listen, or are you just going to keep interrupting me?" Bella asked him. He pretended to lock his lips and throw away the key. Hopefully he wouldn't go try to find it.

"I'll have to start with the stuff you were already there for," Bella said. _Good. I'll hear some of the backstory,_ I thought to myself. Jake raised his hand, being an idiot.

"Go ahead," Bella said, like a teacher calling on a student. I almost laughed.

"That's good," Jacob agreed. "I didn't understand much that was going on at the time." In other words, he was too busy imprinting on me to know what was really going on.

"Yeah well it gets complicated so pay attention. You know how Alice sees things?" I cringed. It was weird to hear Bella talking about the secrets my family has kept for so long.

I kind of zoned out after that. I didn't need a replay of the worst time of my family's history. I liked to call them the "Dark Ages." All of a sudden, Jake spoke up.

"The fortune-telling bloodsucker can't see us?" He was excited. "Seriously? That's excellent!"

"It's how I was able to get away with seeing you before she was," I offered, also interrupting Bella's story. Jake looked at me, confused.

"Because I'm your imprint, my future is now intertwined with yours. Alice can barely see me anymore because my whole future is you."

"That's adorable," Bella added, trying to regain focus. Jacob and I realized our mistake and nodded for her to continue. She told about everything. The Volturi and how she and Edward got back together. What she didn't mention, however, was that she intended to become a vampire. I was assuming that was left out on purpose.

"Now you know the whole story," Bella concluded. "So it's your turn to talk. What happened while I was with my mom this weekend?" Whoa. I wasn't expecting that. Jacob sighed, but told her anyways. I listened eagerly as well.

"So Embry and Quil and I were running patrol on Saturday night, just routine stuff, when out of nowhere — bam!" He threw his arms out, impersonating an explosion. "There it is — a fresh trail, not fifteen minutes old. Sam wanted us to wait for him, but I didn't know you were gone, plus I knew Dani was probably around, and I didn't know if your bloodsuckers were keeping an eye on you girls or not. So we took off after her at full speed, but she'd crossed the treaty line before we caught up. We spread out along the line, hoping she'd cross back over. It was frustrating, let me tell you." He wagged his head and his hair flopped into his eyes. "We ended up too far south. The Cullens chased her back to our side just a few miles north of us. Would have been the perfect ambush if we'd known where to wait." He shook his head, grimacing now.

"That's when it got dicey. Sam and the others caught up to her before we did, but she was dancing right along the line, and the whole coven was right there on the other side. The big one, what's his name?" Jacob asked looking at me.

"Emmett," I told him, shaking. I didn't like thinking of my two families fighting each other.

"Yeah, him. He made a lunge for her, but that redhead is fast! He flew right behind her and almost rammed into Paul. So, Paul . . . well, you know Paul." I shuddered. Bella was able to answer, I wasn't.

"Paul lost his focus. Can't say that I blame him — the big bloodsucker was right on top of him. He sprang-" Bella and I both glared at Jacob. "Hey, don't give me that look. The vampire was on our land." I let out a deep breath.

"Anyway, Paul missed, and the big one – Emmett - got back on his side. But by then the, er, well the, uh, blonde . . ."

"Rosalie," I told him. He nodded.

"She got real territorial, so Sam and I fell back to get Paul's flanks. Then their leader and the other blond male —"

"Carlisle and Jasper," I told him. "Carlisle is my dad," I added, making sure he knew who he was talking about. I knew at the end of the day he didn't really care, but this was important to me.

He gave me an exasperated look. "Anyway, so Carlisle spoke to Sam, trying to calm things down. Then it was weird, because everyone got really calm really fast. It was that other one you told me about Bella, messing with our heads. But even though we knew what he was doing, we couldn't not be calm."

"Yeah, I know how it feels." Bella said at the same time I said "That's my brother." We both looked at each other knowingly. Sometimes, Jasper's talent was useful. Most of the time, it was really annoying.

"Really annoying, that's how it feels," Jacob said, echoing my thoughts. "Only you can't be annoyed until afterwards."

"So Sam and the head vamp agreed that Victoria was the priority, and we started after her again. Carlisle gave us the line, so that we could follow the scent properly, but then she hit the cliffs just north of Makah country, right where the line hugs the coast for a few miles. She took off into the water again. The big one and the calm one wanted permission to cross the line to go after her, but of course we said no."

"Good. I mean, you were being stupid, but I'm glad. Emmett's never cautious enough. He could have gotten hurt," Bella said. She wasn't wrong. Emmett went purely on instinct, just like Paul. The two of them together was dangerous.

Jacob snorted. "So did your vampire tell you we attacked for no reason and his totally innocent coven —"

"No," Bella interrupted. I was grateful. "Edward told me the same story, just without quite as many details."

"Huh," Jacob said under his breath, and he bent over to pick up a rock from among the millions of pebbles at our feet.

"He's not as bad as you think he is, Jacob," I warned him. With a casual flick, he sent the rock flying a good hundred meters out into the bay. If I didn't know him so well, I would think he was ignoring me. The truth was, he was just deep in thought. Caught somewhere between a creature he hates and the girl he loves.

"Well, she'll be back, I guess. We'll get another shot at her." It went silent after that. Bella and I both knew that she would come back. Jacob came back up to me and kissed me on the forehead.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked after a long, quiet time.

"I'm thinking about what Bella told me," he admitted, not even acknowledging that Bella was still here. For now, it was just the two of us. "About when your sister – the fortune teller - saw Bella cliff jumping and thought she'd committed suicide and how it all got out of control. . . ." Jake shook his head, then looked at Bella.

"Do you realize that if you had just waited for me like you were supposed to, then Alice wouldn't have been able to see you jump? Nothing would have changed. We'd probably be in my garage right now, like any other Saturday. There wouldn't be any vampires in Forks, and you and me . . ." He trailed off, deep in thought. He didn't mean what he was saying, but it still hurt. He would rather a world with no vampires and Bella than a world with me.

"You don't mean that, Jake," Bella tried, noticing my discomfort. "If it weren't for me cliff diving you wouldn't have met Dani. You love Dani."

I started crying, then. Bella had to convince my own boyfriend that he loved me. Jacob sighed and pulled me into his lap. I let him hold me, despite Bella watching. I wasn't usually one for PDA, but this conversation was hard.

"I do. It's just all so hard," he admitted. It _was_ hard for him. Loving me _was_ hard for him. We had talked about it before. I was the vampire girl. He couldn't change that.

"Romeo and Juliet," I whispered. I thought that our two families could get along, but this past weekend proved that they couldn't. There would always be something. Always be some fight, some battle that kept them apart. Emily was right. I couldn't push them together no matter how hard I tried.

"Edward would have come back anyways," Bella said suddenly. I felt Jacob cringe. "Being apart…it didn't work out so well for either of us." I sighed. She was right. It was only a matter of time before we came home anyways. No one had benefited from Edward leaving.

"Did you know Sam is mad at you?" Jacob asked. Why would Sam be mad at Bella?

"Me?" Bella asked. Just as shocked as I was. Then, she realized why. "Oh, I see. He thinks they would have stayed away if I wasn't here."

"No, that's not it," Jake shook his head.

"What's his problem then?" Jacob leaned down to scoop up another rock. He turned it over and over in his fingers; his eyes were riveted on the black stone while he spoke in a low voice.

"When Sam saw . . . how you were in the beginning, when Billy told them how Charlie worried when you didn't get better, and then when you started jumping off cliffs . . . He thought you were the one person in the world with as much reason to hate the Cullens as he does. Sam feels sort of . . . betrayed that you would just let them back into your life like they never hurt you."

I took a sharp breath. I didn't believe for a second that Sam was the only one who felt that way. Bella was furious. She stood up and got right into Jacob's face.

"You can tell Sam to go right to —"

"Bella it's fine," I said, softly. It was true. Bella had no reason to love us anymore.

"Look at that," Jacob continued, pointing to an eagle in the act of plummeting down toward the ocean from an incredible height. It checked itself at the last minute, only its talons breaking the surface of the waves, just for an instant. Then it flapped away, its wings straining against the load of the huge fish it had snagged.

"You see it everywhere," Jacob said, his voice suddenly distant. "Nature taking its course — hunter and prey, the endless cycle of life and death. And yet, you don't see the fish trying to plant a kiss on the eagle. You never see that."

"Maybe the fish was trying," Bella suggested, simultaneously lightening the mood. "It's hard to tell what a fish is thinking. Eagles are good-looking birds, you know."

"Is that what it comes down to?" His voice was abruptly sharper. "Good looks?"

"Don't be stupid, Jacob."

"Is it the money, then?" he persisted. I scoffed. He had never pulled the money card before.

"That's nice," Bella muttered, getting up from the tree. "I'm flattered that you think so much of me." Bella turned her back on him and paced away. Jacob and I both chased after her.

"Aw, don't get mad." He was right behind her; he caught her wrist and spun her around. "I'm serious!" I stared wide eyed at the two of them. He shouldn't have touched her like that.

"I'm trying to understand here, and I'm coming up blank," Jacob said. I shook my head. It shouldn't matter to him.

"I love him. Not because he's beautiful or because he's rich!" Bella spat the word at Jacob. She was furious, but she was right. "I'd much rather he weren't either one. It would even out the gap between us just a little bit - because he'd still be the most loving and unselfish and brilliant and decent person I've ever met. Of course I love him. How hard is that to understand?" I would _have_ to replay this for Edward later. I don't think Bella ever told him these things.

"It's impossible to understand," Jake said, still pushing the issue. I put my hand on his shoulder. He needed to stop.

"Please enlighten me, then, Jacob!" Bella was very upset now. My brother would never forgive me for getting her in this situation. It would make him hate Jacob even more. "What is a valid reason for someone to love someone else? Since apparently I'm doing it wrong."

"I think the best place to start would be to look within your own species. That usually works," Jacob answered. I cringed. Jake and I weren't the same species.

"Well, that just sucks!" I snapped. "I guess I'm stuck with Mike Newton after all."

"I'm human," he muttered, his voice almost inaudible. Bella had hurt him. I was almost glad.

"You're not as human as Mike," Bella continued ruthlessly. I wished they would both stop. "Do you still think that's the most important consideration? And don't get me started on you and Dani."

"Guys, please-" I tried to stop them before they could go any further, as Jake was shaking now, but there was nothing I could do. They were both ignoring me.

"It's not the same thing." Jacob didn't look away from the gray waves. "I didn't choose this."

"Do you think Edward did? He didn't know what was happening to him any more than you did. He didn't exactly sign up for this. You know, Jacob, you're awfully self-righteous — considering that you're a werewolf and all who's dating a human too. Aren't you just as dangerous? Couldn't you hurt her just like Edward could hurt me? You have no more self-control than he does. Maybe even less," Bella challenged. Jacob was furious now.

"It's not the same," Jacob growled, glowering at Bella.

"Jake," I whispered. Again, it fell on deaf ears. "Bella, please stop!"

"I don't see why not. You could be a bit more understanding about the Cullens. You have no idea how truly good they are — to the core, Jacob. Plus, they're your girlfriend's family. How badly do you think it hurts her when you talk about how much you hate them? How many times you've made her cry because she can never get you all to get along?" He frowned more deeply, and glanced at me before going back to Bella.

"Guys enough!" I yelled. I finally had enough of this. Certainly now that I was straight up in the middle. Again. They finally both listened to me.

"Both of you just need to shut up! This is ridiculous. I don't know what you two had going on, but whatever it was, you need to get over it. I'm not going to sit here and listen to you two fight every time you talk to each other. I'm so sick of this!" I started crying. Jacob tried to come over to me, but I turned away from him, shaking my head.

"It's not fair! It's not fair that everyone I love has to hate each other! It's not fair that you love her and that she loves my brother! It's not fair that I am stuck in the middle of some supernatural cyclone of doom! I hate this," I broke. I broke right then and there. I fell to the ground and started shaking myself.

"Jake, not now," Bella warned when Jake tried to come over to me. Today had been absolutely exhausting. I just wanted to go to bed and sleep forever.

"Dani," I heard him say. I shook my head.

"You don't realize, Jake. You just talk, but you don't think about what you're saying or who is around you. You just freaking talk. I can't, I just…I can't anymore."

"Dani," Bella said, knowing what I was trying to say. I didn't acknowledge her, I just looked right at Jacob.

"I can't make you all get along," I admitted. It would never work. "But at least my family doesn't talk ill of you, Jake. They respect you as the man I love, but you can't respect them as my family." I took a deep breath before going on, because this was going to kill me.

"Dani, don't, I'm sorry," Jake said, starting to cry. He knew what was happening. I had already warned him.

"I need some space. I love you, I just…I need some space. I'm going home Jake, and until you learn to respect my family, I won't be coming back."


	45. Happy Endings

**A/N: Shout out to PotterxTwilight who reviewed and reminded me that I have a story to write. My summer program is over, but now I'm moving into college so updates might not be as frequent as what they were pre-summer, but they won't be as bad as what they have been. I'm going to try to get another chapter up tomorrow to prove it to you! Thank you all for your continuous support!**

HAPPY ENDINGS

Bella drove me home after I had finally calmed down. The conversations between her and Jacob clearly weren't over in the long run, but for today they would have to wait.

As soon as we crossed the boundary line, Edward was behind us in the Volvo.

"You can pull over, Bella. You can still go to Angela's," I knew that she had other things to worry about to get ready for graduation. She didn't need to take care of me.

"Are you sure?" Bella asked. "I really don't mind taking you back to my place so you can get a break."

"They won't bother me when I'm like this. Dad or Rose will make them leave me alone," I promised her.

"Okay," Bella sighed, pulling over. Edward came over, already fuming. I replayed everything in my thoughts for him, and if I wasn't already so burnt out, I would have started to cry again.

 _I don't want to talk about it, just take me home,_ I thought to him, getting out of the car.

"And don't be mad at Bella," I added out loud, weakly smiling back at her. She didn't deserve his wrath. He would get over it.

"I'm not angry with her, don't worry. Why don't you go wait in the car?" Edward suggested. I shrugged. I didn't want to be alone right now.

"I'm sorry all of that happened," Bella said from her window. I shrugged again. It wasn't her fault my boyfriend – well, _ex_ boyfriend – was being a jerk.

"Have fun at Angela's," I told her, mostly so Edward would know where she was. _Let her have her human time_ , I thought to him, knowing he was stressed out. _She's fine._ Edward nodded.

"Have fun, Bella. I'll see you later," he promised. "Stay safe."

"Will do. Bye Dani," Bella said, then closed her window and drove off.

* * *

"I could kill him," Edward said on the way home. "I _should_ kill him."

"Stop," I warned him before he could go any further. This was the exact thing I broke up with Jacob for. I couldn't handle them hating each other so much. Thankfully, Edward didn't say anything after that.

That didn't mean that the ride home was any less awkward.

"Thank you," I told him. "I'm sorry that we worried you."

"I just never wanted you to be hurt this way," Edward admitted. "You or Bella."

"He's her best friend, Edward." I told him.

"I know - and it's going to get her killed."

* * *

The next few days were absolute hell. I went to school, then I came home and locked myself up in my room. I had two failed relationships under my belt and I was feeling pretty bad about myself. To make matters worse, Jacob wouldn't stop calling me, so I had to turn my phone off indefinitely.

"I can always make him shut up," Jasper offered one afternoon. I just glared at him. They all knew by now how everything went down. Mom and Dad were sad that I was so upset, but my siblings weren't as forgiving. Each one of them at at least one point the past few days had threatened to kill Jacob. Luckily, none of them decided to act on their threats. They knew it would upset me even more.

* * *

On Thursday, Emmett, Edward, Jasper, and Dad all left to go hunting. It was all girls and Bella was staying until Saturday when Edward returned. Edward didn't trust her not to go to La Push, which was fair. Bella was more than welcome to go back in my book, but I wouldn't be joining her.

That night, I actually had a lot of fun, even though I know Bella didn't. We had Italian food that Mom brought from a nice restaurant in Port Angeles. She got my favorite – Fettucine Alfredo – while Bella had Chicken Parmesan. After dinner, Alice and Rosalie gave Bella and I pedicures while Mom cleaned up, and then we all watched _Clueless,_ which Alice picked out. I wasn't super into it, and I don't think Bella was either, but it was apparently a mandatory girl night viewing.

When the movie was over, Alice turned to us and asked "How late do you want to stay up?"

"I don't want to stay up," Bella said. "We have school in the morning." I kind of agreed with her, I was exhausted. Alice, however, didn't like that answer.

"Us humans need sleep, Alice," I reminded her nicely, smiling. She rolled her eyes.

"Where am I supposed to sleep, anyways?" Bella asked, looking around. She was eyeing the couch – apparently no one told her that they had set up a bed for her in Edward's room yet.

"Can't you just keep me under surveillance at my house?" Bella whined some more.

"What kind of a slumber party would that be?" Alice shook her head. "You're sleeping in Edward's room," she told Bella. Bella sighed.

"Can I go back to my place to get my things, at least?" Bella sked. Alice just grinned.

"Already taken care of," she smiled. It was my turn to roll my eyes now. My lovely sister.

"Am I allowed to use your phone?" Bella asked.

"Charlie knows where you are," Alice assured her. She wasn't going to call Charlie, even I could tell that.

Bella looked at me, then down at her feet. "I wasn't going to call Charlie…" she trailed.

"You're allowed to call him," I told her. " _I_ ' _m_ not going to ban you from seeing your best friend. I understand, seriously."

"Are you sure? We had plans for Saturday, I was going to cancel, but if you want to-"

"I don't," I interrupted her sharply. I wasn't ready for that yet.

"Okay then," Bella said, then turned to Alice, who was already handing her the phone.

"He didn't specifically prohibit this…" Alice murmured.

"He can't keep her a prisoner forever," I told her. Sooner or later, Edward would learn.

"Hey Jake, it's me," Bella said into the phone after a few moments. Alice, who had super hearing, was able to hear the entire conversation. She listened for a few moments, then went to sit between Rose and Mom on the couch. I, however, stayed next to Bella.

"Nothing good, I can't come over Saturday after all," Bella told Jake.

I tuned out for a little bit after that. I didn't need to hear the jokes that I was sure were coming from his hatred of my brother. It wasn't until Bella's voice got hushed that I started to tune in again.

"She's fine, Jake, just give it time," Bella said into the phone, glancing back at me. It was almost like an invitation to talk to him.

"Jake, I'm not sure if that's a good idea right now," Bella argued, then sighed, turning to me.

"He wants to talk to you," Bella told me. I thought about it for a moment, then took the phone, realizing that it was time we spoke about what happened.

"Hey," I said quietly. Was he mad at me?

"Hey," he said, just as unsure. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright," I said. I wasn't. I missed him.

"You're not alright," he caught on. He always did. "You're hurting. It's the imprint. We shouldn't be going this long without seeing each other."

"So now I don't have the option to be mad at you? I'm still mad, Jake. It hurts and it sucks and I miss you, but that doesn't change how you feel."

"I know, trust me, I know. I fucked up – big time."

"Is that your apology?" I scoffed. "Just admitted you messed up isn't going to fix this, Jake."

"I know. I'm working on it."

"Yeah, and how many 'bloodsucker' jokes did you just make to Bella on the phone?" I asked him. He didn't say anything. "That's what I thought."

"Dani…that part of me isn't going to go away in a week. It might never go away. They're in the most literal of terms my enemies. I'm sorry you were somehow wound up in all of this, but you can't change that, even though I know you want to. The universe doesn't work that way."

"The universe isn't making you be a dick," I told him, causing my Mom and sisters to look at me with wide eyes. I wasn't supposed to use that language. Whoops.

"Okay, I deserved that," Jake admitted.

"I wouldn't have said it if you didn't," I told him.

"Look, can we just….can we just meet up somewhere? You don't have to come here just…I want to see you again. Whatever happens, at least…at least we'll feel a little bit better. We don't have to get back together, and you don't have to forgive me, but it will take some of the edge off so you can think more clearly about what you want."

"Okay," I said.

"Okay?" Jake asked, shocked that I had agreed to meeting with him.

"We can meet up, but it's over dinner, you're paying, and it's not a date."

"Sure, sure," Jake said, eagerly. I could picture him shaking his head.

"I love you," I told him. "I'm still mad at you, but I still love you."

"I love you too," Jake said. "I wasn't sure if I'd ever hear you say that again or not."

"You haven't completely lost me yet, wolf boy. Don't mess up again."

"You have my word, vampire girl," Jake grinned.

"Don't you forget it," I said, and hung up the phone. I sighed. I really did feel much better after talking to him.

"So that's it? You're going to just forgive him?" Bella asked, taking the phone back from me.

"He's not Andrew. He didn't mean to hurt me like that. I'm still mad, and he's going to have to learn to be nice, but I really miss him," I told her. "He's worth fighting for."

Bella held the phone up. "I feel that," she laughed.

Alice appeared out of nowhere, seeing the number that Bella was dialing.

"I don't think he'll have his phone on him," Alice said.

"I'll leave a message," Bella answered her, then began to leave Edward's message. "You are in trouble," she said. "Enormous trouble. Angry grizzly bears are going to look tame next to what is waiting for you at home."

She snapped the phone shut. For once, I didn't envy my brother.

"This hostage stuff is fun!" Alice grinned. Bella shook her head.

"I'm going to sleep now," she said, and started to walk upstairs. Alice followed behind her. I went to go say goodnight to Mom and Rosalie before heading up.

"Goodnight guys," I said, waving to them. They nodded.

"Goodnight, love," Mom said, followed by Rosalie's simple "Night."

I walked upstairs to hear Bella and Alice arguing, and then silence. Bella had discovered her temporary bedroom. It was more extravagant than anything I had ever been given by my family, and that was saying something.

"What the hell is all this?" Bella spluttered.

"You didn't really think he would make you sleep on the couch, did you?" I asked Bella. "You should know my brother better than that."

"We'll give you some privacy," Alice said, ushering me out. "See you in the morning!"

"Thanks for tonight, Alice," I told her, before escaping to my own bedroom.

"He didn't just make me kidnap her to keep her from Jake, you know," Alice admitted. "He knew you needed a girl's night."

"He always knows," I said. "That's why he's such a great big brother."

"Don't tell him that," Alice said. "His ego's big enough."

"Ain't that the truth," I laughed, hugging Alice. "Seriously, thank you."

"No worries. Also, here's your phone back. Your future disappeared again, so I figured you would be making up with Jacob, so I turned it on and got rid of all of the notifications. All of the voicemails and texts are still there, including the one from tonight."

"Who texted me tonight?" I asked her.

"Look and find out. Good night, Dani!" Alice said, and disappeared downstairs.

"Goodnight," I said, walking into my room. I looked at my phone and checked the text message. It was from Jake.

 _We never agreed on a date or time – let me know. Can't wait to see your beautiful face xxx – Jake_

I smiled. He always knew how to kiss ass.

 _Tomorrow night at the Lodge 7 PM. Don't be late. Good night, wolfy._

 _Good night, vampire girl._

Happy endings don't always happen, but I was damn well going to make sure I had one.


	46. Bad Day

BAD DAY

The next morning, Alice drove Bella and me to school. It was obvious Bella didn't sleep well, but nobody said anything. Alice felt bad about holding her against her will, but there was nothing she could do about it. Edward would give her hell if she let Bella go home tonight.

"Tonight we'll go to Olympia or something," Alice said in the car. Bella didn't look like she was listening. "That will be fun, right?" Alice nearly begged. She _was_ trying.

"Why don't you just lock me in the basement and forget your sugar coating?" Bella scoffed. That was harsh.

"He's going to take the Porsche back. I'm not doing a very good job. You're supposed to be having fun," Alice frowned.

"It's not your fault," Bella muttered as we pulled into the parking lot. "I'll see you at lunch."

"What did I do?" Alice asked, a little upset that Bella wasn't in a good mood this morning.

"It's not you," I told her, putting my arm around her shoulder. "It's Edward. She's always grumpy when he gets like this. She's not mad at you, I promise," I told her, smiling. I didn't like seeing my sister upset.

"I guess so…" Alice said. "So are you really going on a date with Jacob Black tonight?" Alice asked, finally addressing the phone call from last night.

"It's not a date," I corrected her. "It's a friendly meeting to discuss our relationship."

"Alright," Alice laughed. I hit her.

"It's not a date!" I yelled at her.

"You and I both know that it's a date," Alice continued laughing. I just rolled my eyes.

"I can't let him think that, though. I'm still mad at him," I grumbled. If he knew that this was a date, I wouldn't have any power.

"Love is a funny thing," Alice trailed. "The amount of forgiveness you can give the man you love is incredible."

"Speaking from experience?" I asked Alice. I couldn't imagine Alice ever being angry with Jasper.

"It's a long story, I'll tell you some day," Alice promised, but then we were interrupted by the loud roar of a motorcycle. Jake's motorcycle.

"What the…" I turned around.

"Run, Bella!" I heard Jake yell. I looked at Alice, wondering if she was going to stop her. She was furious.

"What was that you said about forgiveness?" I asked Alice. No longer was she in the joking mood regarding my potential future spouse.

"I'm going to kill your boyfriend," Alice growled and stomped off to class. This was going to be a fun day.

* * *

Bella's story is that she went home sick. I heard it from Tyler first period. Mike apparently texted him bitching about how Jake came and swept her away.

The unfortunate part was that Jake's little "rescue mission" caused quite the scandal at Forks High School, and Bella and I were the center.

It doesn't make sense when someone else rides off on a motorcycle with your supposed boyfriend, unless you know the whole story. Unfortunately, there was no way to explain the whole story to the student body unless you get into the whole supernatural thing, and that wasn't going to happen.

"Looks like you've got some competition," Tyler said, sitting next to me during lunch. "Seriously, though, just give it to me straight, I've heard like ten different stories."

"Which ones? The one about Jacob cheating on me? The open relationship between Jake, Edward, Bella, and I? Or my favorite, Bella and Jacob being a couple and Edward and I following the Cullen tradition of dating non-biological siblings," I scoffed, picking at my lunch. My good mood had long gone away.

"Look, if you just tell me what happened, I'll make it all go away. I'm sure there's a perfectly logical reason for Jacob kidnapping Bella this morning."

"My boyfriend's a jackass, that's the reason," I grumbled. He _knew_ that this would cause a scene. He _wanted_ a scene. Once again, Bella comes first. I angrily wiped some tears from my face.

"He didn't tell you he was picking her up, did he?" Tyler asked.

"No," I admitted. Tyler hugged me.

"You just have really shitty luck with boys, don't you?" He asked.

"I guess so."

"Come on, we have choir. Wipe your face off before Andrew sees and pretends to care about you again. I'll vomit," Tyler joked. I smiled a little.

"There it is, there's that beautiful Dani smile," Tyler joked. I shook my head. He always knew how to make me feel better. I took a napkin and wiped the tears off my face. He was right, I really didn't want Andrew to see me.

* * *

The car ride home was nearly silent. Alice tried to make conversation, but it didn't work. It was raining, and both of us were in bad moods.

"Are you okay?" Alice finally asked, after failing at avoiding the situation. "I heard what some of the kids were saying."

"I don't want to talk about it," I told her.

"I'm sorry you're in the middle of the rumor pool again, because of us," Alice said, guilty. I shook my head.

"It's _not_ because of you guys, Alice. I love you guys. Don't blame yourself," I told her. It was silent for a few moments, but I spoke up again.

"He just…he doesn't think, Alice. He doesn't think about how his actions hurt other people. He honestly thought he was doing something good for Bella, but he didn't think about what other people would say about him taking her and not me. He didn't think about what other plans Bella had or how this would make the rest of us feel. He doesn't think."

Alice didn't say anything after that.

* * *

I got a text around 4:00 from Jake.

 _I can't make dinner tonight – sorry._ That was all it said. No reason why, just a simple – "Hey I'm bailing."

Bella came in around 4:30 soaking wet with the why behind the text.

"I'm sorry, Dani, I didn't know he'd take it that way," Bella explained. She told him that she was going to be turned into a vampire after graduation. He got pissed and flipped. Typical Jacob.

Edward still wasn't home yet, but he'd be home tonight, Alice had told me earlier.

"Are you guys still going to Olympia?" I asked Bella. Since my 'date' had cancelled, it seemed I was now free to join them.

"No, I'm just going to go to bed and wallow in misery for a while," Bella complained. I shrugged. I knew how she felt.

"I'll bring the chocolate?" I offered. She smiled a little and nodded. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

I woke up around 10:00 to my phone buzzing. It was another text from Jake. It didn't wake Bella up, so I was surprised it woke me up. Edward clearly wasn't back yet, or he would have been in the room with her, and I would have made my way back to my room. I woke up and walked back to my room.

 _Are you up?_

 _I wasn't, but I guess I am now. What do you want?_ I wasn't in the mood for this.

 _I can't stop thinking about how I blew it again. I really want to see you._

 _It's 10:00 at night, Jake, I can't just walk out my front door right now..._

 _Sneak out._

 _They have super hearing, Jake. I've tried. Sneaking out doesn't work._

 _Ugh._

 _Should have thought of that before you cancelled._ I was being harsh, but he needed it. He couldn't keep playing me.

I laid down on my bed. I couldn't fall asleep after that. I kind of just rolled around in bed. It wasn't a half hour later that I heard knocking on the door.

"Jacob, you can't be here," Alice growled. As soon as I heard his name, I sat up in bed.

"I just want to talk to Dani. I _have_ to talk to her," Jacob begged my sister.

"It's late, Jacob, she's asleep. Can this wait until the morning? I'll have her call you," Mom told him.

"It's fine, Mom, I'm up," I told her, walking down the stairs. I didn't want Jake to start a fight in my own house. His eyes lit up when he saw me, and it made my heart skip a beat. _No_ I reminded myself. _Not yet._

"You shouldn't have come here," I told him. "If my brothers were home, you would have started a fight."

"It was worth it. I screwed up. I couldn't sleep knowing I hurt you again."

"Come on, let's go outside. Is it still raining?" I asked him. I didn't want to wake Bella and I couldn't do this with my family watching. If they weren't in the same room, I could almost feel like they weren't eavesdropping.

"No, but it's cold, put on a jacket or something," Jacob said. I grabbed my sweatshirt off of the coat hanger. I was still half asleep, so I was a little wobbly walking outside. I tripped, and I heard someone growl when Jake grabbed my arm to steady me.

"Thanks," I told him.

"Look, I'm really sorry. Can you tell Bella I'm sorry, too?" He begged.

"You know, when you keep making the same mistakes, sorry ceases to have meaning," I told him, looking at the stars. They were beautiful.

"Then what can I do?" Jake asked. "How can I prove to you that I'm trying?"

"Stop being a jackass," I turned to face him. "Start thinking about what you're putting me through. Do you even know half of the things people were saying about me at school today because you picked up Bella and didn't even acknowledge me? Do you know how upset you made Alice because of how afraid she was that Edward would be upset with her? You don't think about anyone but yourself and Bella. It was a really bad day, Jake, and I couldn't even talk to you about it! You weren't there, you were with Bella!"

"I know, I'm sorry," Jake said.

"I came to accept the fact that you would _always_ love Bella a long time ago, Jacob, but as much as you love her, you can't sacrifice us. If you sacrifice us for her, you _will_ lose me."

"Dani..." Jake started, but he didn't have a comeback for that.

"Look, it's late. I'm tired. If you want to talk to me again, make another dinner meeting. I'm sick of you thinking you can just waltz in and I'll forgive you. I love you, I do, but it's not going to work anymore. Actions speak louder than words, and your actions are making it pretty clear what you want."

"I'll prove it to you, Dani. I promise."

"Then show me," I said. I saw headlights pulling into the driveway. "You should go. I don't want you to get hurt. You're breaking the treaty right now."

"It was worth it to see you again," Jacob admitted.

"Just go, Jake. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Good night, Dani."

"Good night, Jake."


	47. Intruder

INTRUDER

I couldn't sleep that night. It was nearly 3:00 AM before Jasper finally came in.

"What's the matter, darlin'?" Jasper asked. "What's keeping you awake?"

He was only standing in the doorway, but I could already feel the calm seeping through my body. Jasper was trying to force me to go to sleep, probably at the request of my father.

"I don't want to talk about it," I told him. I didn't want Jacob dead, I was just mad at him.

"If it's bothering you enough it's keeping you from sleeping, you should probably talk to someone about it," Jasper pushed, coming closer and sitting on the end of the bed.

"We all saw Jacob in the driveway," he added. I rolled my eyes.

"It doesn't matter, we're working on it," I grumbled, turning over and squishing my face into the pillow.

"Come on, what happened to the little girl who told me everything?" Jasper said.

"She grew up."

"Are you tired?" Jasper asked, placing his hand on my back. I knew what was coming.

"I will be," I mumbled. Sleep would be good. I didn't have to think about Jacob if I was sleeping.

"Just close your eyes and close your mind, little darlin'" Jasper whispered.

"Night," I mumbled, finally falling asleep.

* * *

I woke up to Edward yelling downstairs.

"What happened?" Edward yelled. I rolled over in bed. It was almost noon.

I groggily walked downstairs where everyone except Jasper and Emmett were standing in the living room. Something was going down. My mom pulled me to her as soon as she saw me.

"I have no idea, I didn't see anything!" Alice defended. Jasper was beside her. He was defensive - Edward was mad at Alice for something.

"How is that possible?" Edward hissed. Bella placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Edward," she said. She didn't like the fighting.

"It's not an exact science, Edward," Dad said, trying to keep the peace as usual.

"He was in her room, Alice. He could have still been there - waiting for her," Edward grumbled.

"Who was in her room?" I looked up at Mom. She shook her head. Don't get involved.

"I would have scene that," Alice hissed back.

"Really? You're sure?" Edward threw his hands up in frustration.

"You've already got me watching the Volturi's decisions, watching for Victoria's return, watching Bella's every step, and don't get me started on the giant blind spot where Dani lives. You want to add another? Do I just have to watch Charlie, or Bella's room, or the house, or the whole street, too? Edward, if I try to do too much, things are going to start slipping through the cracks," Alice explained, coldly.

"It looks like they already are," Edward snapped. I shrank into my mom. This wasn't what I needed to see this morning.

"She was never in any danger. There was nothing to see."

"If you're watching Italy, why didn't you see them send-"

"I don't think it's them," Alice interrupted. "I would have seen that."

"Who else would leave Charlie alive?"

"I don't know," Alice said.

"Helpful," Edward shook his head.

"Be nice, Edward," I told him, speaking up for the first time. He glared at me, but then relaxed. I don't think he realized I was even in the room.

"You're right, Dani, I'm sorry," he said, then turned to Alice. "Forgive me, Alice. I shouldn't be taking this out on you. That was inexcusable."

"I understand," Alice assured him. "I'm not happy about it either."

Edward took a deep breath. "Okay, let's look at this logically. What are the possibilities?"

"Victoria?" Carlisle asked. I shuddered. I remembered her from the clearing. I wasn't fancying the idea that she had returned.

"No," Edward shook his head. "I didn't know the scent. He might have been from the Volturi's, someone I've never met…"

"Aro hasn't asked anyone to look for her or Dani yet. I will see that. I'm waiting for it," Alice disagreed.

"You're waiting for an official command," Edward countered.

"You think someone's acting on their own? Why?" Alice asked.

"Caius's idea," Edward suggested. I shivered. If someone from the Volturi was in Forks…

"It's okay, Dani," Edward assured. Mom pulled me closer.

"It could be Jane's…" Alice pondered. "They both have the resources to send an unfamiliar face…"

"And the motivation," Edward suggested.

"It doesn't make sense, though," Mom said from behind me. "If whoever it was meant to wait for Bella, Alice would have seen that. He - or she - had no intention of hurting Bella. Or Charlie, for that matter."

"It's going to be fine, Bella," Esme murmured, sending Edward a look. I don't think she approved of having this conversation in front of Bella and I.

"But what was the point then?" Dad mused.

"Checking to see if I'm still human?" Bella asked.

"Then why didn't they check on Dani?" Rosalie asked.

"It's still a possibility," Dad told her.

Emmett and Jasper came back, then.

"Long gone, hours ago," Emmett announced, disappointed. "The trail went East, then South, and disappeared on a side road. Had a car waiting."

"That's bad luck," Edward muttered. "If he'd gone west...well, it would be nice for those dogs to make themselves useful."

"Edward," I hissed. He shrugged.

"What happened between you two last night anyway?" Emmett asked. I glanced at Alice, wide-eyed.

"It was nothing," Alice told him. Thank you, I mouthed to her. Emmett made a face, then looked at Jasper.

"Neither of us recognized him. But here," Jasper held something green and crumpled. Dad took it from him and smelled it.

"Maybe you know the scent," Jasper added.

"No," Dad said. "Not familiar. No one I've ever met."

"Perhaps we're looking at this the wrong way," Mom said. "Maybe it's a coincidence."

Everyone looked at my mom like she was crazy, even me.

"I don't mean coincidence that a stranger happened to pick Bella's house to visit at random. I meant that maybe someone was just curious. Our scent is all around her. Was he wondering what draws us there?"

"Why wouldn't he just come here then? If he was curious? Dani's scent is here, she's human," Emmett pointed out.

"We mask her scent better. You would come here," Mom added fondly. "The rest of us aren't so direct. Our family is very large - he or she might be frightened. But Charlie wasn't harmed. This doesn't have to be an enemy."

"I don't think so," Alice said after a few moments of silence. "The timing was too perfect…This visitor was so careful to make no contact. Almost like he or she knew that I would see…"

"He could have other reasons for not making contact," Mom reminded her.

"Does it really matter who it was?" Bella asked. "Just the chances that someone was looking for me...isn't that reason enough? We shouldn't wait for graduation."

And just like that Bella has to make this more about her than it already was.

"No Bella," Edward shut her down quickly. "It's not that bad. If you're really in danger, we'll know."

"Think of Charlie," Dad reminded Bella. "Think of how it would hurt him if you disappeared."

"Think of Jacob," I reminded her. "He needs you right now."

Bella looked at me like I was crazy. I said that before I thought about what I was saying.

"I am thinking of Charlie," Bella started. "He's the one I'm worried about! What if my little guest had happened to be thirsty last night? As long as I'm around Charlie, he's a target, too. If anything happened to him, it would be all my fault. Jacob would understand," Bella looked at me.

"It would hardly be your fault, Bella," Mom told her. "And nothing will happen to Charlie. We're just going to have to be more careful."

"More careful?" I scoffed. I knew how hard they had been pushing Alice and what a toll it was taking on her.

"It'll be fine, Dani," Alice promised. Just then, my phone rang. It was Jacob.

"We'll see about that," I grumbled as I grabbed my cellphone and walked back upstairs to my room.

"Good morning," I told him.

"Dani, it's the afternoon," Jacob corrected, concerned.

"Funny, you know, I might have known that if someone didn't keep me up all night," I shot at him.

"Okay, I deserved that. I just needed to see you. I know you wanted to see me too."

"Get to the point, Jacob," I told him.

"What's wrong?" He asked. I shook my head. Leave it to him to want to get involved.

"I'm mad at you," I tried to hide what my family had been arguing about this morning. He didn't deserve to be involved.

"You've been mad at me. You aren't this snarky, even when you are mad me. Something's wrong."

"You cancelled our 'let's get back together' dinner talk. I get to be snarky," I continued. He wasn't going to break me.

"Okay, that's fair, but I just want it noted that I know that something else is wrong. You can tell me, you know."

"You don't deserve that right now," I told him, honestly.

"I guess I deserve that," he resigned. "So about getting back to deserving your honesty in a less heart-breaking way...dinner tonight?"

"Sure," I smiled. I finally knew how I was going to get Jacob back for his behavior.

"Where do you want to go?" He asked.

"I'm not going anywhere," I told him. "You want to prove to me that you can be respectful to my family? You want to make things up to me and show me that you've changed? You're coming to dinner at my house tonight," I told him.

"Dani, that's not a good idea," Jacob declined.

"Fine, have fun being single," I told him.

"I'll break the treaty," he begged.

"You didn't care much about that last night," I told him.

"They don't eat!" Jacob complained.

"You and I do. Plus, Bella will probably be here. The three of us need to have a talk anyways."

"You're really going to make me do this?" Jacob whined.

"Be there or be square," I laughed. Tonight was going to be fun


	48. Trust

TRUST

Like Jacob, my family was not thrilled about my invitation to have him over for dinner.

"We don't even eat, how are we supposed to host a dinner?" Rosalie complained.

"You don't have to hide anything from him. This is your opportunity to grill him about our relationship so that you and Jake can be comfortable with each other."

"It's a noble idea, honey, but I just don't think it's possible. He'll be deliberately breaking the treaty. Sam won't take this well," Dad tried to convince me.

"I can take Sam. Plus, I'm more important than the treaty. Imprints don't apply," At least, I hoped they didn't. "As long as you don't plan on killing him for coming here…"

"That's an idea," I heard Jasper mock from somewhere. I hissed at him.

"Just please, be nice," I reminded them. "Mom and Rose, can you handle cooking? Just something simple," I asked.

"Of course, sweetie," Mom said, then encouraged Rose to follow her.

"We must really like you pip-squeak" Emmett said, ruffling my hair and walking away. Alice came up behind me.

"I know the perfect dress for you," she said, but I knew what she was really asking.

"Let's go, Alice," I smiled. She squealed. I could only pray that this night wouldn't end in bloodshed.

* * *

"Breathe," Alice reminded me. I had spaced out, just looking at myself in the mirror. "It won't be that bad."

"You don't know that," I told her. It wasn't often I couldn't find comfort in my sister's predictions, but this was one of those times.

Suddenly, Alice pulled my chair around and made me face her.

"Edward and Bella aren't going to be here. Those are two of your biggest problems when it comes to Jacob. The rest of us will behave. It will be fine," Alice assured.

"Not _all_ of you," I groaned. Rosalie was still here, she wasn't known for behaving.

"It will be fine," Alice repeated. I took a deep breath and sighed. It better be.

* * *

It was seven o' clock and I could barely breathe. Jacob was supposed to be here an hour ago and he still hadn't shown up. I hadn't had the guts to face my family yet. I didn't want to hear the "I told you so"s .

"Dani?" I heard Dad knock on the door. I had been crying. He probably heard.

"Yeah," I said, trying to wipe my eyes. It was useless. It was very difficult to hide when I had been crying from my siblings, never mind my own father.

"You're beautiful," Dad said, running a finger through my hair.

"Thank you," I told him, looking down.

"Do you know why I love you so much?" Dad asked, pulling my face up to meet his eyes. I shrugged.

"Because you're obligated to by the United States of America?" I joked, smiling a little. Dad smiled as well.

"No, you goofball," Dad laughed. "It's because you have such a big heart. You are unconditionally forgiving. You allow others to hurt you and take pieces of your heart because you only want to do what makes people happy."

"Isn't that what relationships are about?" I asked Dad, knowing where this was going. He was giving me a lesson on Jacob, in his crazy Dad way. "Loving someone unconditionally?"

"In some ways, yes," Dad answered. "But you need to take care of yourself. When forgiveness turns into enabling others to hurt you, then it's not really love anymore."

"I love him, Daddy," I said, starting to cry again. "This imprint bond, it's really hard."

"I know sweetie," Dad said, pulling me into his arms. "Love takes a lot of work. You just need to ask yourself if he's really worth all of this. I've stayed out of it thus far, because I know that with the imprint it is impossible to keep you two apart, but don't think for a second I haven't noticed how much pain you're in over this boy."

"I don't understand, if the imprint bond is so strong on me, why does he keep hurting me so much?"

"He's a child in many ways, my love. He relies solely on his instinct, and sometimes, you aren't a part of his instinct."

"Bella is," I hissed. Dad gave me his 'don't go there' eyes.

"Edward wouldn't let that happen," Dad assured. "He would let her go, but he wouldn't let her hurt you."

The doorbell rang just then. I looked at my Dad.

"I don't know if I can do this," I told him, wide eyed.

"Remember what I said," he told me. "Don't enable him, but love him."

"That doesn't make any sense," I groaned.

"It will," he smiled.

I walked down the staircase and saw Jacob. He was dressed up in a tuxedo and had roses in hand. Rosalie was standing next to him glaring with her arms folded. By the looks of it, Rosalie had been the one to let him in.

"I am so sorry I am late-" Jacob started, but I just held up my hand.

"I'm sure you have a good excuse," I told him softly.

"Are you okay?" Jacob panicked – sensing that something was off. My face was still probably blotchy from crying and Jake probably noticed.

"Honestly, no. I'm not. You're an hour late to a dinner you didn't want to come to. I thought…never mind it doesn't matter. You're here now."

"You thought I wasn't going to come," Jacob said. I nodded. He sighed, and walked over to me. It was one of those moments where it didn't matter that nearly my whole family – minus Edward and Bella – were in the room staring at us. It was just the two of us.

"Dani, I know I suck. I know that I haven't been a good boyfriend – or even a good friend to you lately. I keep hurting you, and I'm still trying to figure out why. Honestly, though, I was late tonight because I was patrolling all day and then wanted to make sure that I still was able to look my best for you."

"Like I said, I'm sure you have a good reason. It doesn't change anything, though. Let's go eat," I told him.

"I _will_ prove it to you, Dani. I _will_ get you to trust me again," Jake whispered, putting my hands in his. "I promise."

"I hope you do," I smiled. I squeezed his hands and walked to the dining room where many members of my family had gathered to give us a false sense of privacy.

"Welcome, Jacob," my mom greeted him when he walked through the door. She didn't hug him like she usually did our guests, not because of hostility, but because she didn't want to make him more uncomfortable than he already was.

We got to the table and Jacob sat beside me. We were the only two who had plates. Alice sat on the other side of him followed by Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Mom, and Dad.

"Hello Jacob," Alice greeted amicably.

"Hey Alice," Jacob greeted back. I knew this was hard for him.

"I know it's weird to eat with them all staring at you, just do your best," I whispered to Jacob. He smiled and nodded.

Mom and Rosalie had made Chicken Parmesan. There was a complementary Caesar Salad beside the main dish. I took some salad while Jake piled on the chicken.

"Fancy," he mumbled.

"So, Jacob," Jasper started. My eyes widened. Alice told me that he would behave.

"Jasper-" I panicked.

"It's alright, Dani," Jake said, patting my thigh. He was ready for this.

"Why should you be able to come back into the picture when you've already put Dani through so much?" Jasper asked him. It _was_ a legitimate question.

"I shouldn't, I mean, if one of my sisters had a boyfriend who treated Dani like I have been treating her, I wouldn't let them date her."

I looked at Jacob shocked. How could he not even defend himself? Did he _want_ to get thrown out?

" _However_ ," Jake continued "I love her. Because we are imprinted, I will never find anyone who I can love this much again. I keep hurting her because she came into my life at a time I didn't expect. I thought I was in love with Bella, and I had to deal with that," Jake turned to look at me. "I'm still dealing with that."

"That doesn't change the way I feel about Dani though. In a shapeshifter's life, there is a very specific order of obligations. The first is to the pack – which is why I was late today. The second is to the imprint, if we have one. The third is to family. Dani comes first out of all of the people in my life. Before my own sisters. Before my own father. Before any of you and before Bella. I _haven't_ been showing that to you all, and so I understand why you are concerned and upset. I do, however, want to propose another opinion, if you'll let me."

Dad nodded for him to go on.

"When Edward left Bella, did you ever expect him to hurt her the way he did, or did you think he would always put her happiness first?"

"Jacob," I hissed. He shouldn't have brought Edward into this.

"I'm serious, Dani. Did any of you ever expect Edward to hurt Bella? Because we all know he did, intentionally or not."

"He's trying to make it better," Mom defended.

"Exactly," Jacob pointed out. "To answer your question, err"

"Jasper," I reminded him, awestruck.

"Jasper. To answer your question, I should be allowed back into the picture because you trust the love between Edward and Bella. You trust that he will never make the same mistake again, because you forgave him and you trust their love for each other. All I'm asking is for you to do the same with me and Dani."

"That's a very wise argument Jacob," My Dad commended him. I grabbed Jake's hand under the table.

"But how can we trust that you're not going to keep making the same mistakes?" Rosalie asked him. "We know Edward won't hurt Bella like that again, but how can we know that from you?"

"You have to trust me. You have to give me a chance to prove myself, just like Dani is."

Jacob went back to eating his dinner, then. His point had been made. I was so proud of him.

"Did you rehearse that?" I asked him.

"A thousand times," he laughed. "In front of the mirror too. How'd I do?"

"I think you did wonderfully," I smiled and ate some of my salad. I was still a little too nervous to be hungry, but I picked anyways.

The rest of the dinner went more smoothly than I expected. The talk had gone away from me after Jacob's speech and more towards everyday things. Eventually, the "dinner" had ended, and I felt like I could breathe again.

"Thank you for the meal Mrs. Cullen," Jacob told Mom.

"Please, call me Esme," she said. Jake nodded.

"Dr. Cullen," he said, offering my dad his hand. I held in a breath.

"Any time, Jacob. Take care of my girl."

"Absolutely," Jake said.

"I'll walk you out," I told him, giving the eye to my siblings. They chorused Jake with a good bye as he walked away.

"You took the Rabbit?" I asked him. I could never get him away from his motorcycle.

"I didn't want to risk getting this suit dirty. It's the only one I have," Jake said, running his hand through my hair.

"You look beautiful," he said. "I really missed you."

"I know, I did too," I told him, leaving the last bit in the air.

"But this doesn't change anything," he accepted. "I know."

"You were amazing tonight. I'm so proud of you, I know that wasn't easy."

"Your house reeks, Dani," he laughed. "But I would do it all over again for you if that's what it takes."

"You're getting there," I told him. "Just don't screw it up again."

"I promised your entire family that I wouldn't hurt you again. I promised _you_ that I wouldn't hurt you again. I need to have some more conversations with Bella, but I mean it, Dani. You're my one and only. I will do whatever it takes to make you trust me again."

"I'm counting on it," I smiled and leaned in.

For the first time in a long time, our lips touched, and I felt the fire that I never thought I'd feel again. All the pain and the hurt of the past weeks had disappeared and I felt re-energized.

Jacob was the love of my life, and I would do anything for him.


	49. Earned It

EARNED IT

Jacob texted me the next morning: _Going over to Bella's today – bonfire tonight?_

I replied: _Wouldn't miss it ;)_

Jake: _Can't wait to see you!_

Me: _You should invite Bella – lots of drama going on she should get out._

Jake: _U sure?_

Me: _Absolutely. It'll be fun!_

Jake: _Okay, babe, ttyl_

Me: 3

I closed the phone and went downstairs. I was glad Jacob had given me the heads up on going to Bella's house.

"Good morning, sunshine," Emmett said. He and Jasper were playing monster chess – again.

"Who's winning?" I asked, leaning on Emmett's back.

"Who do you think?" Jasper smirked. Jasper _always_ won against Emmett.

"I made you some breakfast – mom and dad are out," Rosalie came up behind me.

"Thanks," I said. I wasn't very hungry, but I felt bad when my siblings made me food.

Rosalie made a decent breakfast – just some eggs with some ham dices. It wasn't my favorite, but it was healthy enough, I guess. She put some wheat toast on the side as well.

I watched my brothers play chess for about an hour before I heard Edward and Bella pull in. They didn't come inside, so I went out to greet them.

"Hey guys," I said, jumping up on the countertop. They were looking at Edward's motorcycle. He had insisted on buying it even though I knew Bella would never ride with him. Edward had apparently just given her his other "gifts" and she looked terrified.

"Dani, be honest. How hideous do I look?" I just laughed. She looked like a mess. Edward glared at me. I just smiled.

"Damn sexy," I joked with her. She just looked at Edward.

"Funny, that's what _he_ said," she told me, shaking her head.

"Safety equals fun, Bella!" I reminded her. She rolled her eyes.

"Are you going to La Push tonight?" She asked me.

"Naturally," I told her. She cringed a little.

"Edward's giving me a ride if you want to come with us," Bella offered.

"Yeah, thanks," I said, and we hopped back into Edward's Volvo.

* * *

About halfway into the ride Bella laughed a little. Edward and I looked over at her like she was crazy.

"You know what this reminds me of?" She asked us. "It's just like when I was a kid and Renee would pass me off to Charlie for the summer. I feel like a seven year old."

Eventually we reached the border line where Jacob was waiting for us. I nearly jumped out of the car while Edward was still driving, but I restrained myself.

"Call me whenever you two are ready to come home," Edward said. "And I'll be here."

"I won't be out late," Bella promised.

"No promises from me," I told him. He rolled his eyes. The last thing he wanted to think about was Jacob and I having a sleepover. I ran to Jacob while Edward and Bella got the bike out of the car.

"Hey baby," he said, pulling me close. I pecked him on the lips.

"I'm getting PDA now?" He asked, shocked.

"Only because it annoys the heck out of Edward," I smiled, and so did Jacob.

"Alright, then," Jacob said, kissing me back. Finally Bella walked over with all of her biker gear.

"What's all that?" Jacob asked her as she came closer. He still had me under his arms, but he was focused on her now.

"I thought I should put this back where it belongs," Bella explained. Jacob understood what that meant right away and smiled even wider. He looked at me, as if asking for permission to go hug her. It was a little over the top, but I appreciated the thought.

"Go for it, big guy," I told him and saw him run over to Bella to help her. He stabilized the bike and then pulled her into a hug. This time, however, Edward's Volvo revved. Jake was pushing it.

"Cut it out, Jake!" Bella scolded him. Jake just laughed.

"Nice," Bella commented. She wasn't thrilled.

"What?" Jake shrugged like he didn't know what he was doing.

"He's being pretty dang pleasant about this; you don't need to push your luck." Jake just shook his head and walked back to where I was standing.

"I got all the luck I need right here," he said, kissing me on my head. This time, _I_ got to sit in the front with my boyfriend while the third wheel rode in the back. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it.

ECLIPSE ECLIPSE ECLIPSE

In this moment, I could not have been happier. I was sitting around a campfire with the man I loved and his family. Werewolves and their imprints. People like me. People who knew what the bond was like, and how hard everything that came with it was.

"Are you gonna eat that hot dog?" Paul asked Jacob, not wanting to be rude by taking the last hot dog, but definitely wanting it.

Jake leaned back against my knees and toyed with the hot dog he was cooking. He had already eaten ten hot dogs, a bag of chips, and a bottle of root beer. Comparatively, I had my lone hot dog, some watermelon, and my bottled water.

"I guess," Jake said slowly. "I'm so full I'm about to puke, but I _think_ I can force it down. I won't enjoy it at all, though," Jake sighed. He was messing with Paul, but Paul wasn't catching on. He was distraught at the idea that Jake was going to force down the last hot dog.

"Paul, he's messing with you. Eat the hot dog," I saved him. Jake threw him the skewer and I shot up thinking Paul was going to catch the heated part with his hands. Bella visibly flinched as well. Naturally, though, Paul caught the skewer with no problems.

"Thanks, man," Paul said.

I played with Jake's hair for a little bit, just running my hands through. He looked up at me and smiled. This was the best. _He_ was the best.

"Let's go for a walk," Jake suggested. "Before the fun part."

"I don't want to leave Bella," I reminded him. It was rare that he forgot about her, but he seemed to have been ignoring her most of the night. I wasn't sure if it was because I was here or because they were still fighting, but I hoped that I hadn't been the cause. Edward would kill me.

"Just to talk," Jacob suggested. I shook my head no.

"As much as I'd love to, I really can't leave her," I apologized. He nodded. He understood.

After that, Jake sat up on the log where I was and pulled me into his lap.

"Is this okay?" He asked me. It was a little hot, but it was oddly comfortable. I nodded, leaning my head on his chest, and closing my eyes.

* * *

"Dani," someone tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. "Come on, you gotta wake up."

"What happened?" I shot up. I hadn't even realized I fell asleep.

"It's time to go home. I called Edward. He's got Bella in the car already."

"Dammit," I said, starting to cry a little bit. I slept through _everything_.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Jake asked, coming to sit with me in the car. I saw the lights on the Volvo flicker. I didn't care.

"Tonight was so great and I missed it, I'm so sorry," I apologized, crying into Jacob. He was tense, unsure of what to do.

"You're just tired, babe, it's okay. You're not the only imprint who fell asleep. Hell, _Bella_ fell asleep," Jake rubbed my arms, trying to get me to calm down. "You've heard the stories before anyways."

"I know, I just…" my head was spinning. Edward's lights flickered again. He was going to come over here soon if I didn't get out.

"I know," Jake said. He got it. He _always_ got it. "You can still be mad at me, you know. I haven't proven anything yet. You don't have to forgive me yet, no matter how tonight made you feel."

"I want to, though. I was the only girl in your eyes tonight, and that meant a lot. Especially since Bella was there. It meant a lot."

"I'm doing my best, Dani." The horn honked this time. "You better go before your brother has a stroke," Jake laughed.

"I'm working on it," I rolled my eyes. I nearly fell getting out of the car and Jake caught me. I looked up at him and kissed him – but this time it wasn't a peck.

This time, the car revved.

"Jesus Christ, can't I kiss my boyfriend!" I yelled at Edward. I looked back to Jake.

"Thank you," I told him, then walked to the car.

"You could be a little more tactful than that, Danielle," Edward scolded.

"I earned that kiss, Edward, and you know it," I dished back at him.

"That doesn't mean _he_ earned it."

"Trust me, Edward, he earned it," I told him. And he did. Slowly but surely, my Jacob was coming back.


	50. Newborns

**A/N: Chapter 50! 100+ Reviews! 3,000+ Words! Thank you all so much for your support, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

NEWBORNS

"I can't believe you are all graduating," I mused at the lunch table Monday. "I can't believe it's already been three years" _and I haven't had to move yet_ , I added silently in my head. A week from today was graduation. We had the entire day off of school, but it was encouraged that we go to support our graduating class. I didn't have a choice. Edward, Alice, and Bella were graduating along with Andrew, Alex, Justin, and Fiona. I also knew that Tyler and Mariana would be there because Mike and Angela were graduating as well. Needless to say, there would be a _lot_ of goodbyes.

Graduation wasn't the only issue in the future. With graduation came Dad's promise to Bella. She was going to be a vampire soon. This wasn't something I could openly talk about with my friends, but it was something that hadn't been able to escape my mind. After graduation, everything was going to change.

"College is going to be so much fun," Alex said. "I'm definitely going to join a sorority," she winked.

"That's gross," Tyler told her. "You'll sleep with everyone in your house."

"That's the plan," Alex smiled. I rolled my eyes.

"It's going to be so weird without you all here," Mariana whispered. Mariana was going to be lost without Angela around. They weren't super close, but she was always there. I guess I would be too if all of my siblings were actually going away to college.

"For sure," Tyler agreed. "At least one of our relationships will still be intact," he nudged Ronna. He got a few hisses from the broken couples in the group. He shrugged.

"It will be nice not having Mike around all the time," Tyler changed the subject.

"But your mom's gonna make you work more," Justin smiled. Tyler's face dropped.

"It'll be okay, honey," Ronna patted him on the head.

"Where's Edward going?" Andrew asked.

"Dartmouth. Him and Bella are going together," I told him. At least, that would be Edward's perfect plan. If Bella gets her way, things are going to be a lot different.

"And Alice?" Mariana asked. She liked Alice.

"She's joining Jasper at the UT Houston," I nodded.

"It's going to be so weird having that big house to yourself," Fiona threw out there. I smiled.

"I'm looking forward to going through all of their stuff. I've already stolen a bunch of Rosalie's dresses," I laughed. It was all a lie, of course. I would _die_ if I stole one of Rosalie's dresses or went through Edward's room.

"It's definitely going to be different," Tyler mused. He was about to say something else, but the bell cut us off. Out of nowhere, Alice was by my side.

"We're having a graduation party at our house next Monday night. Bella is writing the invitations. It's going to be a joint party, but I'm sure you know what that actually means. Also, don't go with the red – it makes you look tacky."

"Alice, what the hell?" I yelled at her as she scattered down the hallway laughing. It made me miss having Jasper here to protect me from her antics.

* * *

The next morning, I walked downstairs where my Dad and brothers were intently watching the news. Something was wrong.

"What's up?" I asked them, but my mom just ushered me to the kitchen. Whatever it was, they were trying to hide it from me.

"If you tell me that this is 'grown up' stuff I swear I'm going to-"

"Do nothing because I am your mother and you will do as I say," my mom finished for me. I half expected to get the finger treatment as well, but she withheld that.

"Seriously, can you tell me anything?" I questioned.

"I will after you eat breakfast. You're still expected to go to school."

"Alright," I whined.

By the time I was finished with breakfast, Bella and Edward were here. That's how I knew something was really going on.

"Did you see that they're considering a serial killer now?" Edward questioned Dad. Dad nodded.

"They've had two specialists debating that possibility on CNN all morning," Dad sighed.

"Is this about Seattle?" I asked. I had heard my brothers talk about it in short bursts, but they usually didn't linger once they caught on that I was listening. Edward nodded.

"We can't let this go on," he declared.

"Let's go now," Emmet boomed, making me jump. "I'm dead bored."

There were many disagreements on that idea.

"We'll have to go sometime," Edward scarily agreed with Emmett, releasing the beast that is my sister.

She ran down the stairs and stood next to Emmett. We all thought she'd be angry, but her expression was emotionless.

"I'm concerned. We've never involved ourselves in this kind of thing before," Dad spoke up. "It's not our business. We aren't the Volturi."

"Thank God for that," I mumbled, but of course everyone heard me. Mom came and stood beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"However, I don't want the Volturi to come here," Edward countered. "It gives us so much less reaction time." _And less Bella and Dani time_. I shuddered.

"And all those innocent humans in Seattle," Mom sighed from behind me. "It's not right to let them die this way."

"I know," Dad agreed.

"Oh," Edward said sharply, turning his head slightly to look at Jasper. "I didn't think of that…I see…You're right, that has to be it…Well, that changes everything."

"Maybe explain to the non-mind readers in the room?" I asked him. I was getting anxious, plus, everyone else was confused and all of us were a little annoyed.

"I think you'd better explain to the others," Edward said to Jasper. "What could be the purpose of this?" Edward started to pace, staring at the floor, lost in thought.

"What is he rambling about?" Alice asked Jasper. "What are you thinking?" Jasper hesitated, reading everyone's face before continuing. He spent the longest time on mine, but then stopped at Bella's. "You're confused," he told her.

"We're all confused," Emmett grumbled.

"You can afford the time to be patient," Jasper told him. "Bella should understand this, too. She's one of us now." His words took me by surprise. I didn't know what he was talking about either, but apparently I was in the "you can afford the time to be patient" category.

"How much do you know about me, Bella?" Jasper asked. Emmett sighed theatrically, and plopped down on the couch to wait with exaggerated impatience.

"Not much," I admitted. Jasper stared at Edward, who looked up to meet his gaze.

"No," Edward answered his thought. "I'm sure you can understand why I haven't told her that story. But I suppose she needs to hear it now." Jasper nodded thoughtfully, and then started to roll up the arm of his ivory sweater.

I was just as lost as Bella. Jasper was the only one of my siblings where I didn't know much of his past. Alice didn't really have one, Emmett wasn't shy about sharing, Rosalie loved telling me stories from her childhood, and Edward told me when I asked. Jasper never mentioned it and always tried to redirect my questions.

Bella and I watched as he held his wrist under the edge of the lampshade beside him, close to the light of the naked bulb, and traced his finger across a raised crescent mark on the pale skin.

"What is that?" I asked him, shocked. Bella registered it almost immediately.

"Oh," she breathed. "It's a scar. Jasper, you have a scar exactly like mine."

She held out her hand that held the scar from James when James attacked her last year.

"I have a lot of scars like yours, Bella," Jasper pulled his sleeve higher up on his arm as if to prove his point

"Jasper," I whispered sadly. The thought that my brother had experienced that much pain was terrifying. Alice came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. This story was as hard for her as it was for me.

"What happened to you?" Bella asked, nearly unfazed.

"The same thing that happened to your hand," Jasper answered in a quiet voice. "Repeated a thousand times. Our venom is the only thing that leaves a scar."

"Why?" I shuddered. "Why would someone do that to you?"

"I didn't have quite the same…upbringing as everyone else here, Dani. My beginning was something else entirely," Bella gaped at him, appalled at what he was saying. I couldn't stop staring at his scars.

"What does that mean?" I asked him, curiously.

"It means you're off the hook for school today, darlin'."

* * *

As Jasper told his story, and I learned more about my brother, I couldn't help but think back to Bella's birthday party, when Jasper shoved me into the wall and I ended up in the hospital. When he tried to kill Bella. I couldn't help but think back to all those times when I was a child and my father would usher me out of the room if I got a scrape – while everyone else's eyes were on Jasper. I didn't understand why everyone was so worried about him – I mean, I did, but I didn't realize that it was more than just pure lack of self-control. It was a conditioned response inside of him to kill and destroy that he was fighting ever since he met Alice.

My poor brother had gone through his vampire life tortured. He didn't have the advantages that the rest of my siblings had. Somewhere in the story I started to tune out – subconsciously protecting myself from the horrors of my brother's past. Eventually, Alice nudged me.

"Hey, this is the good part," she smiled, but I could see the sadness in her eyes. She was glad that the events Jasper went through led him to her, but it didn't mean that she didn't wish he never had to go through that.

All in all, my brother was a good person, he was just taught to believe that he was a monster.

"I was in Philadelphia. There was a storm, and I was out during the day — something I was not completely comfortable with yet. I knew standing in the rain would attract attention, so I ducked into a little half-empty diner. My eyes were dark enough that no one would notice them, though this meant I was thirsty, and that worried me a little. She was there — expecting me, naturally." Jasper stopped his story to smile at his wife. He chuckled once.

"She hopped down from the high stool at the counter as soon as I walked in and came directly toward me. It shocked me. I was not sure if she meant to attack - that's the only interpretation of her behavior my past had to offer. Yet, she was smiling, and the emotions that were emanating from her were like nothing I'd ever felt before. 'You've kept me waiting a long time,' she said."

Alice went to go stand in between Bella and Jasper, then. "And you ducked your head, like a good Southern gentleman, and said, 'I'm sorry, ma'am.'" Alice laughed at the memory. Jasper smiled down at her.

"You held out your hand, and I took it without stopping to make sense of what I was doing. For the first time in almost a century, I felt hope." Jasper took Alice's hand as he spoke. Alice grinned.

"I was just relieved. I thought you were never going to show up." They smiled at each other for a long moment, and then Jasper looked back to Bella, the soft expression lingering.

"Alice told me what she'd seen of Carlisle and his family. I could hardly believe that such an existence was possible. But Alice made me optimistic. So we went to find them."

"Scared the hell out of them, too," Edward said, rolling his eyes at Jasper before turning to Bella to explain. "Emmett and I were away hunting. Jasper shows up, covered in battle scars, towing this little freak" — he nudged Alice playfully — "who greets them all by name, knows everything about them, and wants to know which room she can move into." Alice and Jasper laughed in harmony, soprano and bass.

"When I got home, all my things were in the garage," Edward continued. Alice shrugged.

"Your room had the best view." They all laughed together now.

"That's a nice story," Bella said. Everyone looked at her like she was insane, including myself. "I mean the last part, the happy ending with Alice."

"Alice has made all the difference," Jasper agreed. "This is a climate I enjoy."

"Are you okay, honey?" Mom asked, noticing my blank expression. While the rest of the family was joking, I was still stuck on the suffering Jasper had experienced.

"I'm okay, Dani. It's over now," Jasper assured. He calmed me. I shook it off.

"It's not. It's not fair you went through that," I said, looking at my feet. In an instant he was by my side, forcing me to look at him.

"Did you hear me? _This is a climate that I enjoy_. That part of my life is passed, little darlin'. It's taken me a long time to recognize that, so I understand why you don't, but you don't have to worry. It's upsetting, but I'm not who I once was."

"I know," I feigned a smile. Jasper winked, and pulled me into a hug. We would talk more about this later, probably.

* * *

"An army," Alice whispered, putting Jasper's story together with the conversation we had been having earlier. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought I must be interpreting the signs incorrectly. Where is the motive? Why would someone create an army in _Seattle_? There is no history there, no vendetta. It makes no sense from a conquest standpoint, either; no one claims it. Nomads pass through, but there's no one to fight for it. No one to defend it from."

"But you've seen this before," I told him. It was just like in his story. Jasper nodded.

"There's no other explanation. There is an army of newborn vampires in Seattle. Fewer than twenty, I'd guess. The difficult part is that they are totally untrained. Whoever made them just sent them loose. It will only get worse, and it won't be much longer till the Volturi step in. Actually, I'm surprised they've let this go on so long." I shuddered and glanced at Bella.

"What can we do?" Dad asked.

"If we want to avoid the Volturi's involvement, we will have to destroy the newborns, and we will have to do it very soon. I can teach you how. It won't be easy in the city. The young ones aren't concerned about secrecy, but we will have to be. It will limit us in ways that they are not. Maybe we can lure them…" Jasper trailed off.

"Maybe we won't have to," Edward mused, but his voice was bleak. "Does it occur to anyone else that the only possible threat in the area that would call for the creation of an army is us?"

The room visibly tensed. No one wanted to think that our family was in danger. I felt Mom place a tight grip on my arm.

"Tanya's family is also near," She denied.

"The newborns aren't ravaging Anchorage, Esme. I think we have to consider the idea that we are the targets," Edward argued.

"They're not coming after us," Alice insisted, and then paused. "Or . . . they don't know that they are. Not yet." Alice collapsed into her visions – going in and out of awareness.

"What is that?" Edward asked, curious and tense. "What are you remembering?"

"Flickers," Alice said. "I can't see a clear picture when I try to see what's going on, nothing concrete. But I've been getting these strange flashes. Not enough to make sense of. It's as if someone's changing their mind, moving from one course of action to another so quickly that I can't get a good view. . . ."

"Indecision?" Jasper asked in disbelief. "I don't know. . . ."

"Not indecision," Edward growled. "Knowledge. Someone who knows you can't see anything until the decision is made. Someone who is hiding from us. Playing with the holes in your vision."

"Who would know that?" Alice whispered. Edward's eyes were hard as ice.

"Aro knows you as well as you know yourself."

"But I would see if they'd decided to come. . . ."

"Unless they didn't want to get their hands dirty."

"A favor," Rosalie suggested, speaking for the first time. "Someone in the South . . . someone who already had trouble with the rules. Someone who should have been destroyed is offered a second chance — if they take care of this one small problem. . . . That would explain the Volturi's sluggish response."

"Why?" Dad asked, still shocked. He didn't like to believe that people were bad. "There's no reason for the Volturi —"

"It was there," Edward disagreed quietly. "I'm surprised it's come to this so soon, because the other thoughts were stronger. In Aro's head he saw me at his one side and Alice at his other. The present and the future, virtual omniscience. The power of the idea intoxicated him. I would have thought it would take him much longer to give up on that plan — he wanted it too much. But there was also the thought of you, Carlisle, of our family, growing stronger and larger. The jealousy and the fear: you having . . . not more than he had, but still, things that he wanted. He tried not to think about it, but he couldn't hide it completely. The idea of rooting out the competition was there; besides their own, ours is the largest coven they've ever found. . . ."

I stared at his face in horror. He'd never told me this, and from the looks of it, he had never told Bella either. I couldn't imagine my family as a part of the Volturi. They would never let that happen. Alice and Edward would never join then.

"They're too committed to their mission. They would never break the rules themselves. It goes against everything they've worked for," Dad argued.

"They'll clean up afterward. A double betrayal," Edward said in a grim voice. "No harm done."

Jasper leaned forward, shaking his head. "No, Carlisle is right. The Volturi do not break rules. Besides, it's much too sloppy. This . . . person, this threat — they have no idea what they're doing. A first-timer, I'd swear to it. I cannot believe the Volturi are involved. But they will be."

They all stared at each other, frozen with stress. "Then let's _go_ ," Emmett almost roared. "What are we waiting for?"

Dad and Edward exchanged a long glance, a conversation none of us were privy to. They were making a decision for the rest of the family – whether or not we were going to fight.

"We'll need you to teach us, Jasper," Dad finally admitted. "How to destroy them."

I had only seen my father this sad once before, and that was when Edward was AWOL. He hated the idea of hurting someone else, that's why he became a doctor. Whoever created this army, they were forcing his hand.

"We're going to need help," Jasper said. "Do you think Tanya's family would be willing? Another five mature vampires would make an enormous difference. Then Kate and Eleazar would be especially advantageous on our side. It would be almost easy, with their aid."

"We'll ask," Dad answered.

"We need to hurry," Jasper said, handing Dad the cell phone. I could tell Dad was shaken, and it terrified me. I was doing everything I could to hold myself together. Mom still was still beside me, rubbing my arm, trying to keep calm by trying to calm me. Unfortunately, calm wasn't a thing the Cullens could do right now.

"Oh," Dad said, his face falling. My eyes shot up to his. Edward was scowling. "We didn't realize that Irina felt that way."

"Damn it. Damn Laurent to the deepest pit of hell where he belongs," Edward groaned beside Bella.

"Laurent?" Bella whispered, just as terrified as I was. I took a deep breath. _They will fix this. My family will fix this._ I chanted to myself. _They have to._

"There's no question of that," Dad said in a stern voice. "We have a truce. They haven't broken it, and neither will we. I'm sorry to hear that. . . . Of course. We'll just have to do our best alone."

"What's the problem?" Emmett murmured to Edward.

"Irina was more involved with our friend Laurent than we knew. She's holding a grudge against the wolves for destroying him to save Bella. She wants —" He paused, looking down at me.

"Go on," I said as evenly as I could. I was trying not to think of the possibilities of what Irina wanted. His eyes tightened. "She wants revenge. To take down the pack. They would trade their help for our permission."

"No!" I gasped. "No they can't do that! _Please_ tell me we didn't agree to that!" I was freaking out. The wolf pack was my family now. Edward rushed over and put his hands on my shoulders.

"Dani, relax," he told me in the most relaxed of voices I had heard all day. "Of course we wouldn't agree to it. Laurent had it coming, and I still owe the wolves for that."

"This isn't good," Jasper admitted. "It's too even a fight. We'd have the upper hand in skill, but not numbers. We'd win, but at what price?" His eyes flashed to Alice's face, and I cringed.

We may not know who the mastermind behind this was, but I knew one thing. I was _not_ going to lose my family because of them.


	51. Chaos

_They were fighting. I remember the screaming, followed by painful screams from her._

 _I remember a door slamming, without as much as a goodbye. He left her._

 _She came to check on me, tears streaming down her face._

 _"Why couldn't you be my friend for once, and not his sister!"_

 _"You are so loved, my angel" she says to me as she packs the car. "It is safe, now, you can go to sleep."_

 _There was thunder and lightning outside – it made me afraid. I didn't want to go outside._

 _"It's okay little darlin'" he suddenly appears beside me. He holds my small hand in his and leads me out to the car._

 _The rain was coming down so hard, I thought it was going to crash through the windows and swallow me up._

 _She was crying again._

 _He was yelling again._

 _They were fighting again._

 _The car stops. Everyone gets out._

 _"You stay here, no matter what happens. I know it's scary outside, but we don't have a choice right now."_

 _All of a sudden, everyone is screaming. My family is dying._

 _And there's nothing I can do._

* * *

I never hated being a human more in my life than I did at this moment.

I woke up to a dull pain in my abdomen – _great._ I got out of bed, took a shower, and put a pad in my underwear in preparation for Satan's Waterfall that would be mostly likely paying a visit later today.

I was not excited.

"Do your best to have a good day," Mom said as I was walking out the door with Alice. "I know it's not easy right now, but do your best." She kissed me on the forehead.

"I'll try," I said, not even bothering to mention that I didn't feel well. I got in the car with Alice and pulled out my phone.

"Is that that 'Angry Birds' thing?" Alice asked, all excited that she found out what I was doing.

"No, not everyone plays that," I joked.

"Then what are you doing?" She asked me.

"Pinterest," I smiled. She nodded.

"You have a problem."

"And _you_ don't?" I mocked her. When it came to material items, Alice had a _lot_ of problems.

"Not when it comes to Pinterest," she smiled.

We got to school and parted ways. I felt the pain in my stomach a little more, but I didn't let it bother me too much.

"Have a great day, Dani!" Alice called to me and I walked to class.

* * *

By lunchtime, I had completely lost my appetite. I didn't eat anything, and I didn't feel like getting interrogated by my friends – or worse – my family if they saw me not eating.

Right before final period, Tyler finally tracked me down at my locker.

"What's the matter with you?" Tyler asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I started walking away, trying to make an escape.

"You look like you're gonna hurl," he followed on my heels.

"Oh, so you're a doctor now?" I asked, turning to smirk at him. We had chorus, so we were going to the same place.

"Look, it's my time of the month-" I started and he put his hand up.

"Say no more," he shook his head. "Seriously, though, if you don't feel good, you should go to the nurse."

"I'll get right on that," I said stepping into the chorus room.

In reality, the nausea had increased tenfold since this morning, and I felt terrible. If it wasn't for my family not needing anymore drama in their lives right now, I probably would have babied up and called my Dad to come get me. Me being sick, however, was the last thing everyone needed right now. I'd take some meds when I got home and power through it.

* * *

I didn't make it twenty minutes before racing out to the bathroom. I immediately started throwing up, and I couldn't stop. I was in there for about ten minutes before Mariana came in.

"Are you throwing up?" She freaked out. "Should I go get the nurse?"

"No, no I'm fine," I tried to assure her, but I couldn't keep my head out of the toilet.

"What can I do?" She asked sadly.

"Just…" I didn't have time to answer before Alice came bursting in.

"Dani!" She gasped upon seeing me. I waved at her – then promptly threw up again. Well, basically dry heaves. Nothing was coming out anymore.

"I already called Carlisle he's on his way," she explained, coming behind me and rubbing my back. I rolled my eyes. _There goes Plan A._

"I guess I'll go back to class now…" Mariana trailed. I nodded. She didn't need to see any more of this.

"Thanks, Mari," I sighed. This sucked.

"Come on, let's try and get you to the nurse," Alice worried. I nodded.

"Did you bring a bucket?" I croaked.

"Damn it! I didn't…but you can use this," she decided, grabbing one of the smaller trash barrels. "Come on, we're leaving."

I walked out of the building and into the welcome center that housed the nurse's office. Dad was already there when we arrived. Edward and Bella were also there waiting for us. Alice must have been with them when she saw me puking.

"Hi, sweetie," Dad greeted, helping Alice get me onto one of the beds in the nurse's station.

"Dani, right?" The nurse asked, filling out paperwork. Dad must have filled her in already.

"Is that how many times I've been in here?" I joked. Dad shook his head, smiling. I hadn't left my sense of humor in the toilet.

"How long have you been feeling nauseous?" The nurse asked.

"Most of today, but it didn't get bad until after lunch," I explained.

"Did you eat lunch?" Dad used his doctor voice. I almost laughed.

"Not really…" I answered.

"She wasn't at lunch at all," I heard Edward say from a distance. I didn't know where he was standing anymore.

"Danielle," Dad chided.

"I wasn't hungry," I defended.

"You should have called me," he corrected, then turned to the nurse. "Thank you, is it alright if I take my daughter home now?"

"Absolutely. Let me know if there's anything else you need. Do you have all of your stuff, Dani?"

I was about to say no, but then Alice came back into the room. I hadn't even noticed that she left.

"I got it for you, hun."

"Thanks, Alice."

As I said that, I clutched the bucket that replaced the trash can as my stomach cramped again – causing me to throw up. It was disgusting and there were so many witnesses.

"It's okay, sweetie. Let it out," Dad coached and tied my hair back. He nodded at Alice again and she left.

"Alice is going to get the car, then I'm going to take you to the hospital. I want to put you on some IVs and have someone do a full examination."

"Dad," I whined.

"No arguing," He declared.

* * *

"I'm cold," I complained, lying in the hospital bed. Dad grabbed the thermometer off the wall and checked my temperature. Alice, Edward, and Bella had all gone back to class after I was dismissed. Mom was on her way.

"Your fever hasn't gone down, that's why," Dad explained. When I came here I had a low grade fever of 99. By the looks of it, my fever had gone up since then.

Finally a nurse came in to draw blood and hook up an I.V. Dad started mumbling things to her and she nodded. He was probably being overprotective. He did that.

"She's going to draw your blood and then give you fluids. We don't want to give you any medications yet until we know what's going on. Are you in any pain?"

"A little," I admitted. I guess it wasn't my period after all.

"Where?" Dad asked, as he started poking around my belly. He got to the lower right side of my abdomen and I almost died.

"There," I gasped. It hurt more than I expected when he pushed down. He nodded and whispered something else to the nurse.

"We need an ultrasound and CT scan to be sure, but I think you might have appendicitis," Dad told me, running his fingers through my sweaty hair. I cringed at his cold hands, but it ultimately felt good.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you I wasn't feeling good," I apologized. He smiled and shook his head.

"You're so stubborn," he smirked.

When Mom came back in, she had about a thousand questions for Dad. Even after being married to a doctor for fifty years, she didn't understand most of what was going on. He assured her that he was on top of everything and nothing was going to happen.

The doctor came in – he was a resident – and performed the ultrasound. My appendix was enlarged, so I did have to go get the CT scan.

Mom wasn't allowed to come with me, but because Dad was such a prestigious doctor here, they didn't argue with him. He followed me up to radiology and helped me get settled into the machine.

It took what seemed like forever to get the test done, but instead of going back into the ER, I went to another department.

"You're going to need surgery, love," Dad told me. I had barely even talked to my doctor because of my dad. Honestly, his voice calmed me a lot more. I knew that nothing bad could happen to me if he was there.

"We're going to make a 2-3 inch incision in your lower right abdomen to remove the appendix. The surgery is simple enough, and there are very few risks."

"I'm going to scrub in so I can be with you the whole time," Dad promised. "Mom is in the waiting room and she'll be right with you when you wake up."

"It should only take about two hours, maybe less," the doctor said. Dad nodded.

"Let's get it done," I insisted, and I was wheeled into surgery prep.

* * *

It felt like waking up from a dream, but it wasn't like the nightmares I had been having. It was peaceful.

"Hey honey, how do you feel?" I heard a woman's voice ask. I felt someone's hand on my head, and another pair of hands on my arm and in my hand.

I opened my eyes all the way and got a view of the room. It was white. I felt a little nauseous, but nothing like what I had been feeling earlier. There was a little pain, but again, nothing like it was earlier.

"Can I have some water?" I choked out. My throat was dryer than the Sahara. Dad laughed and nodded.

"Slow sips," he encouraged. I did what he told me.

"How is the pain?" Another voice asked – a nurse.

"Minimal," I told her. She nodded.

"You're on morphine now, enjoy the ride," she told me. I smiled. Morphine was good.

"When can I go home?" I asked softly.

"I want you to stay overnight, just to be sure there's no reaction, but I'm sure I can get them to release you tomorrow," Dad promised.

"Sounds like a plan," I nodded.

* * *

I slept for a while after that – the morphine knocked me on my ass. I was in and out, but every time I got up, Mom or Dad encouraged me to go back to sleep. I was tired enough that I listened.

As I was overnight in the hospital, nurses kept coming in to check on me every few hours as well, also waking me up. Once or twice my actual surgeon came in. It was kind of annoying.

Finally, the next morning, I woke up and Dad was walking in with a smile.

"Are you up for a few visitors?" Dad asked, sharing a grin with Mom. I shrugged. The pain was a little worse today than it was yesterday, but I still had control of the morphine. I was mostly just tired.

"I'll release the wolves, then," Dad joked, and moved out of the way.

"Jacob!" I exclaimed when I saw him walk through the door. I jumped up, but then realized that I had stiches in my side and that that probably wasn't a good idea.

"Easy there," he said, walking towards me. I mouthed a quick thank you to my parents as he walked over. I knew it hadn't been easy for them to call him.

"Don't thank us," Mom told me, holding Dad's hand. "Thank Edward. He called him yesterday once you were out of surgery to fill him in."

"I almost had a heart attack too," Jacob shook his head. "I can't believe you were so sick," he ran his hand through my hair, resting it on my shoulder. I'd never seen him so comfortable around my family before.

"Thank you for coming," I smiled. I felt so much better having him here.

"There's better news," Jake glanced at Dad, waiting for a nod before turning back to me. "You're going home today."

"So _that_ 's why you get to be here instead of Edward. He's helping Alice set up for a party," I reasoned. Everyone chuckled.

"How do you know she's throwing you a party today? She could be too busy planning Bella's graduation party, you know," Mom tried.

"Mom," I looked at her, "This is _Alice_. I've known her my whole life. She's _going_ to throw me a party when I get home, it's inevitable."

Everyone laughed – again.

"I suppose you're right. We better start getting you ready to go then, hm?" Dad offered.

"That would be great," I nodded. Going home and being in a real bed would be amazing.

"Alright, I'll see if I can spring you," Dad said as he walked out the door.

* * *

Jacob was allowed to come over to celebrate with us. It was the best gift I had ever been given by my family – their acceptance. Edward and Jacob still didn't get along –at all – but they stayed on opposite ends of the room.

Unfortunately, Jacob had to leave almost as soon as he arrived, because someone had to protect Forks from the sketchy vampires. When he got the text from Sam, he looked heartbroken.

"I'm so…" he started, but I didn't let him finish.

"Go be a superstar," I smiled. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." I pecked his cheek for good measure.

"Please be careful!" I called out to him as he was leaving, since I was still basically immobile. The rest of my family looked on, but I ignored them.

Eventually, we all settled down to watch a movie. Bella, Edward, and I were on the couch and everyone else was scattered around the room. My eyes felt a lot better closed than they did open, so ultimately, I let sleep take me.

At some point, I felt someone lift me up to carry me upstairs. I opened my eyes briefly to see that it was Edward.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he whispered as he laid me in my bed. He tucked me in, just like he did when I was little.

"If you need anything, just call one of us, okay?" He reminded me. No one was going anywhere tonight.

In the midst of all the chaos, if only for one night, we were going to be a normal family.


	52. Graduation

GRADUATION

It was graduation, and by the time I woke up, people were already decorating and getting ready. I managed to get out of bed, but someone – per usual these days – heard me and beat me to it.

"I can get out of bed by myself now," I complained to Emmett, who was my knight in shining armor this morning.

"Please, _I_ should be thanking _you._ Alice has had us going since 3 AM – double since stores opened at 9," Emmett laughed. "You're saving me."

"You're welcome?" I questioned. My family was weird. "What time _is_ it?" I asked him.

"Eleven," he said, matter-of-fact. Wow.

"Whoops," Graduation was in two hours. No wonder Emmet was so dressed up already.

"Yup, get your little butt moving!" Emmett boomed. I shook my head. My butt wasn't going to be moving very quickly this morning.

"Leave her alone, Emmett," Mom chided as we came downstairs. She enveloped me in a hug and helped me sit down to eat my breakfast: toast and jam. I had only been reintroduced to solids yesterday, so I was a little hesitant.

"You'll be fine, sweetheart," Dad came up behind me. "You handled them well yesterday, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"You'll be fine!" Alice yelled from the living room. I laughed.

"There she is," Dad smiled, then left me to eat my breakfast. The hyper-awareness of me had gone down some in the past day or two, but they still were tuned in. It made me appreciative of the pre-appendicitis life.

* * *

Somehow I managed – with Rosalie's help – to get ready in time. Mom, Dad, and I rode in the Mercedes while Emmett, Rose, and Jasper took her BMW.

When we got there, I immediately went over to where Tyler, Ronna, and Mariana were sitting.

"Hey guys," I smiled, and as soon as they recognized who I was, they jumped up too.

"Oh my God, you're alive!" Mariana shouted, hugging me. I winced. It had been almost a week, but I was still sore. She noticed and backed off.

"How's your appendix?" Tyler asked, helping me sit back down.

"It's gone," I shrugged. They laughed. "How are you doing, Ronna?" I tried to turn the attention away from me. Lord knows I got enough of it from my family these past few days.

"I'm well, certainly better than you're looking. I'm surprised you didn't just skip graduation," Ronna admitted.

"Edward and Alice are graduating, I couldn't really miss that," I told them. It wouldn't have made sense. For us, we knew that it wasn't a big deal, but for the rest of the world, it wouldn't have looked very good.

"Isn't that your dick of a boyfriend?" Tyler asked, pointing to where Jake and Billy were walking through the gym doors. I rolled my eyes.

"It is, and don't call him a dick," I warned Tyler. "I'm going to go say hi, are you guys coming to the party tonight?"

"I didn't know we were invited," Mariana mumbled.

"Of course you are," I scoffed. "If you weren't on the official guest list you are now. You too, Ronna," I pointed at her. "The entire senior class was invited, I think."

"It's gonna be lit!" Tyler hollered, and people turned to stare at us. My eyes grew wide.

"On that note," I mumbled as I stood up. "I'm going to go see my boyfriend."

"See you tonight, Dani!" Mariana yelled as I walked away. Jake must have heard when I started to actually leave because he met me two-thirds of the way.

"You shouldn't be walking around this much, you've been sick," Jake scolded, pulling me into a warm hug.

"It's been five days, I'm fine," I told him. "I just can't run a marathon yet."

"You couldn't run a marathon _before_ you got sick," Jake joked. I scowled.

"I could have if I tried," I challenged him.

"Sure, sure," he laughed the laugh I loved so much.

"Are you going to sit with Charlie?" I asked him. He nodded. _He_ would rather be sitting with me, but with my family here, even after the past few days, it was too awkward.

"Billy's here, you should come say hi afterwards," Jake encouraged. I still wasn't sure what my relationship with Billy was. I was pretty sure like Charlie, Billy wanted Jake and Bella to be the end game. He would never say anything, but there was always something there.

"He loves you too, you know" Jake reminded me, running a finger through my hair. Suddenly, the band started warming up, and I knew it was time to get back to my seat.

"I have to go," I told him, stretching on my toes to kiss him on the lips. "I love you."

"I love you too, I'll see you later," he smiled. Could I invite him to the party?

"Hey, Jake?" I asked him as he was about to go sit back down.

"Yeah?" He answered, coming back towards me.

"Do you want to come over tonight? Alice is throwing a party for the senior class. It's technically Bella's graduation party, but in reality it's just an excuse to have people over."

"I don't know if that's a good idea, babe," Jake said sadly. "I'll see what I can do, though," he promised, squeezing my hand. I nodded, and walked back to sit with my parents.

* * *

The graduation ceremony moved a lot more quickly than I expected it to. I don't think many people wanted to be there, Mr. Green included. As soon as the ceremony was over, Edward and Alice rushed back to where we were in an attempt to look normal. I gave them both big hugs and congratulated them, even though they have graduated high school more times than I was years alive. As soon as I hugged Alice, she shared a glance with Jasper and then disappeared. I tried to convey to Jasper that I knew that they were up to something, but if he received my message, he didn't show it.

Shortly after, Bella came over to join us, and we all congratulated her. Naturally, my mom wanted pictures of all of us. I looked around to try to find Jake, but he had apparently snuck out after the ceremony. I was really hoping he would come tonight, I wanted to see him when I _wasn't_ sick.

I saw that Bella was speaking to Edward quietly, then, by the time Charlie came over, Edward was ready to disappear like Alice. I turned to Jasper.

"What is going on? Don't lie to me," I warned him.

"Bella figured something out. No one is in danger right now, but she didn't want Edward to freak out. She's not going to be happy Bella told him," Jasper shook his head. "Come on, let's go home," he ushered me out before I could ask any more questions.

* * *

As soon as we got back to the house, I cornered Alice.

"Tell me what you know, and I won't tell Mom and Dad about how when I was six you forgot me at the mall for three hours," I blackmailed her. She glared at me. She understood immediately what I was trying to do, but checked to see if I would seriously go through with it. I could see the fear on her face when she found out I would.

"You were fine," she scowled, but sighed anyways. "Bella thinks that the newborn army is being run by one person, one person who is trying to get to Bella. She thinks that whomever is in charge sent the stranger to her room to get her scent so that they could track her down. She thinks she is the target."

"That explains why Edward freaked out," I nodded. Alice did as well.

"But they're not after us?" I asked, hopefully. Maybe my family wouldn't have to fight after all.

"She's one of us, hun. It still won't be that easy," Alice sadly ran a hand through my hair, like my brothers do so often. "We need to do something with your hair, and throw some makeup on you. Do you feel okay? You look paler than usual…" Alice trailed. I shrugged. Right now, I didn't feel very good, but who would when their family still had a death sentence.

"It will be fine," Jasper tried to assure me, creeping up from behind. I jumped, and ultimately burned my neck on the curling iron Alice had already wrapped my hair around. Alice immediately pulled back, and Jasper reached out, concerned.

"God dammit!" I yelled, mostly in pain but also in frustration. "You _know_ I hate it when you guys do that!"

"What happened?" Emmett came running to the scene of the crime. I groaned.

"Go. Away!" I complained. "I am fine, I just need everyone to respect the boundaries!"

Emmett and Jasper chuckled, and then Emmett left and Jasper sat down on his and Alice's futon.

"My apologies, Dani," Jasper mumbled once he sat down. I could feel his guilt. I sighed as Alice began trying to curl my hair again.

"It's fine," I smiled at him. He didn't need to feel guilty, a little excitement was what we all needed right now.

"Rose?" Alice called from behind me. She barely raised her voice so not to startle me, but within seconds, my other sister appeared.

"What's up, Alice?" She asked.

"Can you finish up with Dani's hair and make sure she's ready? I have to help set up downstairs. I love Carlisle dearly, but Esme can't handle him on her own when it comes to decorating."

"That's daddy for you," I laughed. My dad was good at a lot of things, but decorating was not one of them. Rosalie smiled and took over from Alice as she hurried downstairs, pulling Jasper with her.

"Are you ready for tonight?" Rose asked me. In many ways, I preferred her doing my hair. She was more motherly and gentle than Alice was.

"I guess so. It will be weird having everyone here though. I don't think any of my friends have really been over here before," I mused.

"Are they excited to see the inside of the Cullen mansion?" Rose joked.

"I suppose so," I shrugged. "I would be if I were them. We're pretty awesome."

"That's true," Rosalie smiled.

* * *

Eventually the house filled with people and my family was doing their host-ly duties by mingling. I, personally, was tearing up the dance floor with anyone who would join me. Edward came by a few times to try to remind me that I had just been through surgery and should take it easy, but he more than anyone knew it was a lost cause. He was arguing with me for at least the eighth time when he faded out for a minute and then shook his head and walked away. I shared a glance with Bella before we both stalked after him.

"Alice, what did you see?" Bella was asking her when we finally saw where Edward ran off to.

"Who invited the werewolf?" She asked, glaring at Bella.

"Actually, it was me, Alice," I admitted guiltily.

"Well, you go take care of it, then. I have to go talk to Carlisle," she nearly spat at me. I took a step back. My sister had _never_ spoken to me that way before. Bella must have noticed the hurt because she came and put her hand on my shoulder.

"She's stressed, they all are. She didn't mean it," Bella tried to console me. I rolled my eyes.

"I don't know why it's so hard for them all to get along," I murmured before walking off to find Jake.

* * *

I heard him before I could actually see him in person.

"Hey, Dani!" He yelled. _I need to grow a solid four inches,_ I reminded myself, as if I had control over that aspect of my life.

"You brought friends?" I scoffed when I finally found him. He arrived flanked by Quil and Embry, some of his best friends that I had met while on the reservation. They both looked too tense, and Quil was visibly shaken.

"You know why I couldn't come here alone," Jake tried to explain.

"Whatever," I mumbled, hugging him. It felt good to have him here when I could actually focus on what I was doing instead of being in pain.

"Are you mad?" He asked cautiously.

"No, I'm not, I'm just…I'm stressed out right now," I sighed. I wasn't mad at him. I _did_ understand why he couldn't come here alone with this many people around. I just _hated_ that it had to be this way, especially when my family was so on edge.

"What's wrong?" He asked, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"It's nothing-" I started, but Jake gave me a look.

"Don't give me that bullshit," he scoffed. "I'm immune to your lying capabilities, sweetheart. You should tell me what's going on. We want to know these things."

" _I_ don't even know what is going on, Jake," I promised him. "The _second_ I do I _promise_ I will tell you."

"What do you know right now?" Jake pushed. I groaned.

"Why do you do this to me?" He rubbed his hands up and down my arms.

"Relax, I just want to make sure you're safe," he assured me. I gave him a "yeah right" look. I tried to avoid looking into his eyes, and in the process, found Alice coming back down the stairs. I called over to her, pulling completely away from Jacob again.

"Alice!" I called to her, trying with all my might to convey that I needed an escape from my boyfriend and his squad. She nodded and came over to me.

"I need to talk to you," she whispered, wrapping her arm around my waist, careful to avoid my incision spot.

"Jake, I have to go, I'll talk to you later," I tried to get away, but he grabbed my arm.

"You can't just invite me to a party and then disappear," he said, not letting go.

"Jake, let go," I tried to be stern, but my voice quivered. In that moment, I was afraid of him.

"You heard her," Alice glared, prepared to fight him. He let go, but still blocked the exit.

"Tell us what's going on," he demanded. He wasn't Jake right now. He meant business.

Before anyone could say anything else, Jasper appeared on the other side of Jacob's arm, ready to pounce. My eyes widened at how terrifying Jasper looked. Jake pulled his arm away, but didn't back down.

"We have a right to know," he resigned. Jasper didn't.

"Hey, hey, this is a party, remember?" Bella finally came and tried to lighten the mood.

Nobody paid any attention to Bella or I. Jacob glared at Alice while Jasper glared at Jacob. Finally, Alice sighed.

"It's okay, Jasper. He actually has a point. This involves Dani, he deserves to know."

Jasper didn't back down despite Alice's mark of approval.

"What did you see, Alice?" Bella finally asked, ignoring the tension in the room.

"The decision's been made," Alice resigned. She glanced at Jasper quickly, sharing something I couldn't understand.

"You're going to Seattle?" Bella guessed, but even I could tell she was wrong. If they were going to Seattle, the environment at home would have been different. They wouldn't have been scurrying around the issue, they would be inciting each other. Like a country about to go to war. It would be better, but they were afraid of something. The way Alice's eyes locked in with mine confirmed it. I shuddered.

"No," I admitted softly. "They're coming here."


	53. It Won't Be Even

It Won't Be Even

"What did _you see, Alice?" Bella finally asked, ignoring the tension in the room._

 _"The decision's been made," Alice resigned. She glanced at Jasper quickly, sharing something I couldn't understand._

 _"You're going to Seattle?" Bella guessed, but even I could tell she was wrong. If they were going to Seattle, the environment at home would have been different. They wouldn't have been scurrying around the issue, they would be inciting each other. Like a country about to go to war. It would be better, but they were afraid of something. The way Alice's eyes locked in with mine confirmed it. I shuddered._

 _"No," I admitted softly. "They're coming here."_

Jacob pulled me closer to him, and this time, I let him. Quil and Embry watched silently, reading the situation to the best of their ability. Jacob remained alert, but his primary focus was me. I could feel him trembling.

"Yes," Alice confirmed, sadly.

"To Forks?" Bella clarified, still in denial.

"Yes," Alice repeated.

"For?" She asked.

"One carried your red shirt," Alice pointed out. Bella paled, and I wondered for a moment where my brother was. He should be here with her. I had Jacob, but right now, she had no one.

Jasper's expression was disapproving. He didn't like discussing this in front of the werewolves, even If he should have known by now that we were all on the same side, especially if it meant my safety.

"We can't let them get far enough to make it to Forks," Jasper spoke up. "There aren't enough of us to protect the town," Jasper stole a glance in my direction. _Or protect Danielle_ were the words he didn't say, but we all understood.

"I know," Alice hissed. She didn't like the idea of anyone getting hurt, especially her family, and she was the one who was shielding all of the bad things that could happen from us. She had been seeing it all, and it was taking a toll on her.

"It doesn't matter where we stop them," Alice continued, "there still won't be enough of us, and some of them will come here to search."

Now, it was my turn to panic.

"No!" I whispered, and Jake pulled me closer to him. Bella looked just as horrified. We were all picturing the people who would be in danger. Many of them were in my house as we spoke.

"Alice," Bella mouthed, "I have to go. I have to get away from here."

"That won't help," Alice argued. "It's not like we're dealing with a tracker. They'll still come looking here first."

"Then I have to go to meet them!" Bella nearly shrieked. "If they find what they're looking for, maybe they'll go away and not hurt anyone else!"

"Bella!" Alice tried to calm her down. She was hysterical at the idea of people getting hurt because of her.

"Hold it," Jacob finally spoke up. "What's coming?"

"Our kind. Lots of them."

"Why?"

"For Bella, that's all we know. Unless they come to our house, Danielle would not be in any danger," Alice added, knowing who his main concern was.

"But they could slip by?" Jake scoffed. "What, there are too many for you?"

"We have a few advantages, dog," Jasper stepped in. "It will be an even fight."

Jake shook his head. "No," he said. "It won't be even."

"Excellent!" Alice's composure immediately shifted to one of exultation. All of the despair, stress, and worry of the past weeks evacuated her face and she grinned at my boyfriend. My boyfriend had just agreed to fight alongside my family for my safety.

"Everything just disappeared, of course," Alice mumbled. "That's inconvenient, but all things considered, I'll take it."

"We'll have to coordinate," Jacob said. "It won't be easy for us. Still, this is our job more than yours."

"I wouldn't go that far, but we need the help," Alice admitted. "We aren't going to be picky."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait," Bella interrupted, finally catching on. "Coordinate?"

"You didn't honestly think you were going to keep us out of this?" Jacob smirked.

"You _are_ staying out of this!" Bella exclaimed.

"Your psychic doesn't think so," Jacob said before he could catch himself. I shoved him a little, but I knew what he was getting at. Bella was still upset.

"Alice, tell them no! They'll get killed! Dani, you _can't_ be okay with this!"

"Bella," I tried to explain to her. "I'm worried, yes. Of course I don't want Jacob in danger. I don't want _any_ of my family in danger. At the end of the day, though, if the wolves don't fight with my family, everyone could die. If Alice is confident -"

"-which I am," Alice butted in, and I pointed at her.

"It'll be no problem," Jacob finished for me, pulling me impossibly closer. Quil laughed.

"How many?" He asked. Bella shook her head. She still wasn't comfortable with this.

"It changes – twenty-one today, but the numbers are going down," Alice told them.

"Why?" Jake asked, curious.

"Long story short, they can't control themselves and they kill each other," I whispered to him. Alice shrugged.

"We'll explain more later."

"Tonight?" Jake pushed.

"Yes," Jasper answered him. "We were already planning a…strategic meeting. If you're going to fight with us, you'll need some instruction."

"You're not going to fight against each other are you?" My anxiety increased at the thought. I felt Jake start messaging my shoulders as he chuckled, and Jasper sent me a wave of calm.

"I don't think that would be a good idea, babe," Jake answered. Jasper nodded.

"This will be odd," he said. "I never considered working together. This has to be a first."

"No doubt about that," Jake agreed. "We've got to get back to Sam. What time?"

"What's too late for you?" Jasper asked. Quil, Embry, Jake, and I all rolled our eyes. These days, my wolves didn't sleep any more than my siblings did, unfortunately.

"What time?" Jake repeated.

"Three o clock?" Alice asked.

"Where?"

"About ten miles due north of the Hoh Forest ranger station. Come at it from the west and you'll be able to follow our scent in," Alice directed him.

"We'll be there."

"I'll walk you guys out," I followed Jake, but Bella stopped us.

"Wait! Jake, you can't do this!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella. You're giving me a much better gift than the one I gave you," Jake smiled. I didn't even know he got her a gift.

"No!" Bella shouted again. Jake just shook his head, and continued outside. Quil and Embry were already long gone.

"Do I need to chaperone tonight?" I asked him once we were outside. I buried my head in his neck. He was the perfect height for me.

"I promise we'll behave," Jake kissed my head.

"You better."

"Seriously, though, I know you. Don't stay up just because you're worried."

"I'll probably end up going anyways. I know Edward is going to take Bella."

"It'll be boring. You don't need to be there."

All of a sudden, all you could hear were wolf howls in the distance. It was the pack calling Jake home. He rolled his eyes and groaned.

"You better go before they come after me for kidnapping you," I let go of him, surprised at how much colder it was.

"You seriously don't have to come tonight-"

"Give it a rest, Jake, I'll see you later," I smiled and blew him a kiss. He caught it like the dork he was and ran off into the woods.

I was finally getting what I wanted – my family and my boyfriend working together. I just wasn't sure I wanted it to happen this way.

There was no way I was missing tonight.


	54. Training

**A/N: If you recognize anything from the book or the movie, I don't own it.**

TRAINING

The party lasted another hour or so, but I didn't bother to stay up for it. After Jacob left, I went straight up to my room. I barely spent any time with my friends, but they wouldn't have wanted me around right now, anyways.

Alice followed me upstairs and helped me get ready for bed.

"Everything will be fine, you know," she assured me.

"Don't tell me everything's going to be fine when you can't see any of our futures anymore," I snapped. I might have been able to hold it together when Jacob was here, and when Bella was watching, but now that my boyfriend was involved, I was about to lose it.

"Dani," Alice said, concerned. She didn't know I was feeling upset. "I may not be able to see your futures, but everyone is confident now. It will be easy with their help, you know that. No one is in any danger anymore. We're all working together, just like you wanted," Alice smiled, rubbing my back.

"I guess you're right. I'm still going, though," I told her. She rolled her eyes.

"Does Jake know?" She asked me.

"I told him I was, but I think he's hoping I'll fall asleep and forget about it all."

"You should fall asleep and forget about it all," Alice laughed. "But you're too stubborn for that, aren't you little sister?"

"You know it," I smiled back at her and crawled into bed. "Thanks for the party, Alice, I'm sorry I pissed you off by inviting Jake."

She took a deep breath. "Honestly, it took me by surprise, but I'm glad you did," she smiled.

"Good night," I told her, rolling over.

"Good night, hun," she patted me once and then flitted back downstairs.

* * *

My alarm woke me up around 2:30 AM. It was not natural for someone to be up this early. I could hear people whispering outside my door, but no one had entered the room yet.

"If you have something to say, just come in and say it," I mumbled, trying to find the will to get out of bed. _Jacob is waiting for you_ , I tried to tell myself.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Dad entered the room, followed by mom.

"It's hardly morning," I cringed, looking at the clock again. They weren't wrong, but it technically was the middle of the night for the human breed.

"Are you sure you want to come?" Mom asked, looking at me, then at Dad.

"Absolutely. Bella's going too. We have to be the liaisons for the human population involved."

"There are no humans in danger, dear," Dad squinted, unsure of what I was saying.

"Bella and I are. The loves of our lives are fighting each other. We have to chaperone."

"Edward and Jacob would never do that to the two of you, I'm sure," Mom tried to convince me.

"He wouldn't dare," I growled. "Either way, I'm going. I want to see Jasper kick Emmett's ass!" I joked a little louder. I heard some fighting happening downstairs, no doubt a reaction to my comment. I would get hell for that later.

"Language, love," Dad chastised, but helped me sit up and get out of bed. "There will be rules, nonetheless. We can't have you getting hurt and caught up in all of this, hm?"

"I know," I rolled my eyes. I wasn't changing before going. Then, it hit me. "How am I getting there?" I asked hesitantly, knowing the answer.

"You'll have to piggy back with me. I'll go slowly, I promise," Dad said.

"Slow for you is not very slow," I grimaced. I already felt the nausea.

"You could always stay here," he offered. I shook my head.

"Let's get this over with," I nudged him and we all walked downstairs.

* * *

I was right. I made it about two-thirds of the way in before I was fighting to get out of my dad's grip and vomiting on some poor tree. Dad rubbed my back and held my hair back and helped me sit down when I was done.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Dad asked, feeling my forehead. I nodded.

"Just give me a minute. It's just motion sickness," I tried to convince him. He didn't look convinced.

"Do you want to walk the rest of the way? We're not terribly far…" Dad trailed. He was being kind by offering, but I knew he didn't really want to walk at my pace, and he wouldn't let me walk on my own.

"It's fine, just give me a minute," I told him. "We didn't bring any water, did we?"

My phone buzzed – it was Alice, go figure. _I brought you a water bottle, hang on until you get here!_

"Alice?" Dad smirked.

"Alice," I confirmed. "Alright, let's get this over with." I spit some of the rotten taste in my mouth out, but it didn't help much. I just had to hold on until I got to the clearing, like Alice said.

I hopped on my Dad's back, again, and we sped off towards the clearing.

* * *

I was a little disappointed to see that Edward and Bella had beaten us to the clearing. In fact, Bella was the one who brought me the water bottle when I got there. Dad went off to meet Jasper, who was stretching for some strange reason.

"Alice said you were going to want this," she handed me the water. I took a few sips and spit it all out, much to Bella's surprise. Edward was laughing beside her.

"I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure you're supposed to drink that," Edward joked. I glared at him.

"If your mouth tasted like mine did right now, you wouldn't want to swallow anything either," I complained, taking another swig of the water – this time, actually swallowing it. Edward smiled.

"Fair enough. If you're still feeling sick, though, you should go take a seat. You guys will be staying by those trees over there," he pointed to where we were supposed to go. _I'm not a child, Edward_ , I told him.

"All the same, we don't know what's going to happen tonight," Leave it to Edward to be brutally honest. "We need to know where you are and that you're safe should anyone misbehave."

"Jacob is _not_ going to misbehave," I spat at Edward, angry with what he was insinuating. He put his hands up in surrender.

"Hey munchkin," Emmett snuck up behind me and threw me over his shoulder. I screamed, and Emmett got the death glare from some members of the family, so he put me down. I glared at him.

"Hey, Edward, Hey Bella," He said, turning attention away from him. "So, is Edward going to let you fine ladies practice with us?"

Edward groaned. "Please, Emmett, don't give her any ideas."

"When is Jake going to be here?" I asked Edward.

"A minute and a half. But I'm going to have to translate," he said, more to the rest of the family than to me. "They don't trust us enough to use their human forms."

"This is hard for them. I'm grateful they're coming at all," Dad nodded.

"They're coming as wolves?" Bella asked, wide eyed. Edward nodded. Bella hadn't seen very much of the pack in their wolf form. For an imprint, I really hadn't either. I don't think I had ever really seen Jake as a wolf before, actually.

"Prepare yourselves," Edward said suddenly. "They've been holding out on us."

"What do you mean?" Alice demanded, coming over to where we were standing.

"Shh…" Edward cautioned, and we all stared into the darkness. Clearly, my family members could see something that Bella and I couldn't. They were amazed. Slowly, the circle we were in turned more into a formation. Edward didn't leave Bella's side, and Dad didn't leave mine. Emmett and Jasper took the lead.

"Damn," Emmett muttered under his breath. "Did you ever see anything like it?"

"What is it?" Bella whispered quietly. "I can't see."

"Neither of us can see, Bella, just wait," I told her impatiently. I wanted to see my boys as much as she did.

"The pack has grown," Edward murmured beside us. That's when we finally saw it. Ten horse-sized wolves coming right towards us. Their eyes illuminating the forest behind them. Ten pairs.

"Fascinating," Edward murmured again. _Good, it's about time you showed some respect_ , I thought without thinking first, then I cringed. _Sorry_. Edward shrugged.

As soon as the wolves came into view, I could immediately tell which one was mine. It was like this was a part of him that I was meant to see a long time ago, but somehow missed a memo. I didn't think it was possible for me to feel more intertwined with Jacob than I already did, but this proved that it was. I was halfway across the field with my family calling after me by the time I realized where I was going.

"Jake!" I yelled, and ran up to him, hugging his neck. The rest of the pack made way, they knew I wasn't a threat. He nuzzled my neck and barked a little, like a puppy would. He was being playful.

"You're so beautiful," I noticed, running my hands through his incredibly soft fur. I was like a child with a new toy. Jake, like the good boyfriend he was, put up with my explorations and outbursts. I would probably get hell for it later. Suddenly, Sam growled and Jake nudged me beside him. It was time to get to business. I looked back over at the faces of my family, all smiling despite their disapproval at my running across the field outside of the "safe zone" that had been set up for Bella and me.

Dad took a slow, deliberate step towards us.

"Welcome," he greeted them. Edward took a step beside Dad, helping him translate.

"Thank you," he responded in a voice that didn't belong to him. It was a strange, flat tone, distant to my brother. The words didn't come from his mind, they came from Sam's. It was a strange sensation.

"We will watch and listen, but no more. That is the most we can ask of our self-control," Edward said in his strange voice again. I leaned into Jacob. I thought about climbing on him so I could sit down, but I wasn't sure if that was pushing it or not.

"That is more than enough," Dad answered. "My son Jasper" – he gestured to where Jasper was waiting – "has experience in this area. He will teach us how they fight, how they are to be defeated. I'm sure you can apply this to your own hunting style."

"They are different from you?" Edward again asked for Sam. Dad nodded.

"They are all very new – only months old to this life. Children, in a way. They will have no skill or strategy, only brute strength. Tonight their numbers stand at twenty. Ten for us, ten for you – it shouldn't be difficult. The numbers may go down. The new ones fight amongst themselves."

The boys started growling, and I could feel the vibration coming from Jake's body. It was different from the trembles of anger he gets. It was almost excitement. Enthusiasm.

"We are willing to take more than our share, if necessary," Edward translated, his tone less indifferent and strange now. He sounded more like himself, but with Sam's words. It was less creepy.

Dad smiled. "We'll see how it plays out."

"Do you know when and how they'll arrive?"

"They'll come across the mountains in four days, in the late morning. As they approach, Alice will help us intercept their path," Bella and I shared a glance from across the field. I didn't see her eyes, but I knew they were connected with mine. Four days was a lot sooner than we expected.

"Thank you for the information. We will watch," With a sighing sound, the boys started to relax and instead of standing, they all sat or lay down on the ground. Jake lay down beside me, then nudged me closer. Was this him showing me he wants me to sit on him? I looked at his back, then at him, and he nodded. I made an attempt to climb up, but I slipped and fell. He made a sound that sounded like laughter, but in a wolfy way. Another wolf came up and with their nose gave me a lift. I didn't think I was _that_ short. I rested my head on my arms on Jake's head, and watched as Jasper took the space that my Dad had been occupying. Jasper, however, looked much more out of his element than Dad did.

"Carlisle's right," Jasper spoke with his back to us. He was trying to ignore the presence of the wolves. I shook my head.

"They'll fight like children. The two most important things you'll need to remember are first, don't let them get their arms around you – they'll crush you in an instant. Second, don't go for the obvious kill. They'll be expecting that. And you will lose," Jasper left that last line hanging in the air and pointed at Emmett. I wished that I could see more of what was going on, mostly because I have been waiting to see this fight all week, but I could see enough to get excited.

Emmett fought the most like a newborn, Jasper explained once. He wasn't subtle and he didn't think more than a few steps ahead. He wasn't as fast or tactical as Jasper was, but he was strong. It was less of a dance between the two and more like a hunter and prey. Emmett was a bear, and Jasper was the hunter. Jasper kept baiting him, and Emmett was falling for it. Suddenly, Emmett froze. Jasper had him from behind, his teeth an inch away from his throat. Emmett cussed, and the wolves rumbled. I, being the proud sister that I was, yelled.

"Good job, Jazz!" I could see Jasper turn and smirk a little bit in my direction. Emmett would make me eat those words later, but it was totally worth it.

Jasper was talking to Emmett and Edward for a little while, and then he pulled Alice into the arena. Was he really going to fight her? I knew better than to worry about Alice – with her talent, no one could touch her – but it still made me uneasy. She was smaller than I was, and that was saying something.

If the fight between Jasper and Emmett was a bear hunt, the fight between Jasper and Alice was a dance. It was a dance that Alice did with mostly closed eyes. Jasper would shift around her and stalk towards where she was standing, but Alice never stood there very long. When Jasper sped up, so did Alice. Eventually, Jasper lost. Alice was perched on her husband's back, laughing.

"Gotcha," she smiled, then kissed him. Jasper chuckled, shaking his head.

"You truly are one frightening little monster," Jasper kissed her back. My boys muttered again, a little wary this time. They didn't realize Alice could be so powerful.

I yawned and saw Jake's big werewolf eyes flicker up to me. He whimpered a little bit. I could practically hear him scolding me for being here.

"I'm fine," I smiled, trying to convince him. I feel the disbelief radiating off of him. Eventually, the battles between my siblings and parents turned into a lullaby. It was nearly silent, and Jake's back was more comfortable than my own bed. Before I knew it, my eyes were closing and I was out like a light.

ECLIPSE ECLIPSE ECLIPSE

Jake nudged me awake some time later. This time, it was no longer dark, but the sun was about to rise. I could see pieces of light trying to escape from the trees.

"We'll be doing this tomorrow," I heard Jasper talking. I tried to roll over and go back to sleep, but Jake slowly sat up, rolling me off of his back in the process. Me, being the uncoordinated one, actually fell off his back and landed on my butt on the floor, but he couldn't have helped that. At least I was awake now. I got up and leaned against my now standing boy-wolf.

"We'll be doing this again tomorrow," Jasper continued. "Please feel welcome to observe again."

"Yes," Edward answered, using the creepy voice again. "We'll be here." I looked at Sam with wide eyes. When were they supposed to sleep? Jake nuzzled me again, careful not to make me fall over. He was trying to calm me down.

"The pack thinks it would be helpful to be familiar with each of our scents — so they don't make mistakes later. If we could hold very still, it will make it easier for them," Edward explained. Ugh, I'd have to walk back over there.

"Certainly," Dad said to Sam. "Whatever you need."

Jake nudged me and Sam led all of us over to where my family was standing very still and in a straight line. I wondered if I should join them, but the pack already knew my scent better than anyone else's. I went and stood next to Bella, since she would be the one least grossed out by Jacob's smell on my body.

I watched anxiously as one by one, the wolves smelled each member of my family. Jasper was stiff, and I realized I probably wasn't helping his own anxieties, but I couldn't help myself. This was the closest my family and the pack had ever been to each other.

Most of the wolves ignored me, not wanting to do any more work than they had to. Jake, on the other hand, had to come over and give me a wet sloppy dog kiss before he left. I glared at him.

"That's absolutely disgusting," I groaned at him, shoving him lightly. Bella hadn't realized before that that was him, and was vocally amazed at him. Edward was watching her, hoping that she'd be afraid of him, but it was hard to be afraid of my boyfriend when he was such a goofball, even when on duty.

"You're going to pay for that," I warned him, wagging my finger at him as he walked away. I could see two other wolves in the trees waiting for him to rejoin the pack. Edward was about to pull us away when he said something.

"I've not quite figured out all the details yet," he said, answering a question in Jacob's thoughts. Jake grumbled sullenly. "It's more complicated than that," Edward said. "Don't concern yourself, I'll make sure it's safe."

"What's he talking about?" I asked Edward.

"Just discussing strategy," Edward answered, trying not to make a big deal out of whatever it was.

Jake ran off, but Edward assured us that he was going to come back. When Jake did, he was human again and in a pair of black sweat pants – no shirt, no shoes. He crossed the field rather quickly and came to stand beside me.

"Okay, bloodsucker," Jacob said when he was a few feet from us, evidently continuing the conversation Bella and I missed. He was annoyed, something I hadn't caught on to. I rubbed his arm, trying to calm him down, but it wasn't working. "What's so complicated about it?"

"I have to consider every possibility," Edward said, unruffled. "What if someone gets by you?"

Jacob snorted at that idea. "Okay, so leave her on the reservation. We're making Collin and Brady stay behind anyway. She'll be safe there. It's where Dani is going to be with the other imprints," I scowled.

"Are you talking about us?" I scoffed. And who said I was going to be at the reservation?

"I just want to know what he plans to do with her during the fight," Jacob explained.

"Do with me?" Bella asked at the same time I asked "Do with her?"

"Neither of you can stay in Forks," Edward pacified. "They know where to look for you there. What if someone slipped by us?"

"Charlie?" Bella gasped.

"He'll be with Billy," Jake answered. "Dani will be with the other imprints, per pack protocol so don't argue with me babe," I huffed.

"It would have been nice if you mentioned that before," I grumbled. He shook his head and wrapped his arm around me.

"If my dad has to commit a murder to get Charlie to the res, he'll do it," Jake said, ignoring me. "Probably won't take that much, though. It's this Saturday, right? There's a game."

"Sounds more appealing than hanging out with the imprints," I mumbled. I had nothing against Emily or Kim, they just worried so much and it gave me more anxiety than I needed.

"Be nice," Jake warned. "You'll have fun. Emily's prepared for this kind of stuff."

"They're going to make me paint my nails or something," I complained. Edward and Jake both laughed.

"So it will be like a weekend at home for you," Edward jested. My eyes widened.

"You're on his side now?" I asked, shocked.

"I'm on any side that keeps you safe, which these days, tends to be his side. Look, hiding both of you is just a precaution. I told you – we'll have no problem now. There won't be enough of them to keep us entertained."

"But what about keeping Bella in La Push? She can stay with Dani," Jake interjected, impatiently.

"She's been back and forth too much," Edward said. "She's left trails all over the place. Alice only sees very young vampires coming on the hunt, but obviously someone created them. There is someone more experienced behind this. Whoever he" – Edward paused to look at Bella – "or she is, this could all be a distraction. Alice will see if he decides to look himself, but we could be very busy at the time that decision is made. Maybe someone is counting on that. I can't leave her somewhere she's been frequently. She has to be hard to find, just in case. It's a very long shot, but I'm not taking chances."

Bella looked more uncertain with Edward's explanation than she did before. He patted her arm.

"Just being overcautious," he promised. Jake gestured to the deep forest east of us, to the vast expanse of the Olympic Mountains.

"So hide her here," he suggested. "There's a million possibilities – places either one of us could be in just a few minutes if there's a need."

Edward shook his head. "Her scent is too strong and, combined with mine, especially distinct. Even if I carried her, it would leave a trail. Our trace is all over the range, but in conjunction with Bella's scent, it would catch their attention. We're not sure exactly which path they'll take, because they don't know yet. If they crossed her scent before they found us…" Everyone grimaced at the same time, and they boys' eyebrows pulled together. "You see the difficulties."

"There has to be a way to make it work," Jake muttured. He gazed at the forest. Bella swayed a little, and Edward caught her.

"I need to get you home – you're exhausted and Charlie will be waking up soon…" Edward mumbled.

"Wait a sec," Jake said, wheeling back to us. "My scent disgusts you, right?"

"Hmm, not bad," Edward was two steps ahead. "It's possible….Jasper?" he called. Jasper walked over with Alice less than a step behind.

"Okay, Jacob," Edward said, and Jake spun and held his arms out to Bella. I looked at the boys like they were crazy, because they were.

"We're going to see if I can confuse the scent enough to hide your trail," Jake explained.

"You're going to have to let him carry you, Bella," Edward told her, and that's when I drew the line.

"Hold up!" I stepped in between Jake and Bella. "You can't be serious right now," I glared at Edward.

"It's a valid plan," Edward put his arms up in defense. _Valid plan my ass_ I nearly growled at him.

Jake came up behind me and pulled me aside.

"Babe, relax," he said, rubbing my shoulders, the same thing I did to him when he was worked up.

"You can't possibly think I'm even remotely okay with this," I told him.

"I knew you wouldn't be, but tactically, it makes sense."

"Even with all the fights we've had over her? You want me to believe that you're going on a completely un-biased miles long walk holding her for 'tactical' reasons?"

"Do you think Edward would let me do this if that wasn't the absolute truth?" Jake countered. He wasn't angry, he was just trying to make me understand. It didn't change the fact that I was bitter about the idea.

"Hun, this is so much bigger than us. It's one of the hardest lessons that we have to learn in this fucked up life. It isn't about you, or us, or even Bella. It's about protecting the ones who need protecting. Right now, that _is_ Bella. This trail won't change how I feel about you. You need to be able to trust me. I know you haven't been able to in the past, but you need to now. It's the test we've been waiting for and babe, I've been studying hard."

"You better have been," I grumbled. "I don't like this."

"I know you don't, but it will be over before you know it and I'll call you and we can make out or something," Jake grinned. "I see that smile."

"Stop it," I bumped him. I took a deep breath. Jake took my hand and we walked back over to where Edward, Jasper, and Bella were standing. I looked at my brothers, I knew they had heard the whole thing.

We got back, and Jake picked Bella up and into his arms. "Don't be such a baby," he muttered. It was comforting to know that she didn't like this any more than I did. We all looked at Edward, but he was composed.

Jake blew me a kiss and ran off with Bella into the woods. My eyes didn't leave the spot they disappeared from until my brothers pulled me into a massive hug.

Why did being an imprint have to be so hard?


	55. Silver Lining

SILVER LINING

"Breathe, Dani," Jasper mumbled a few moments after they left. I glared at him. I didn't move from my spot. It was light out now, and I was exhausted, but I didn't move. On the other hand, neither did Edward, so that was slightly comforting.

"They'll be back soon," Edward mentioned, although, I didn't know if that was meant for me or for him.

"It's what's best for Bella," Jasper reminded us. I glared at him even more.

"Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say, brother," Edward warned him, even though I was pretty sure Jasper got the message. Wherever Jake was concerned, using Bella was never a good argument.

"They'll be back soon," Edward repeated. I rolled my eyes. "Jasper, you should start trying to track them."

"Of course," Alice came over as well and they took off. Alice smiled at me before they left, but it didn't change how I was feeling. There was a time when I wouldn't mind if Jake and Bella were by themselves. These days, I wasn't so sure. I was trying to trust him, but it was a lot harder in practice than in theory.

"Any minute now, Dani," Edward told me. "I can hear Jacob. If it's any help, he's only thinking about you."

"Thanks," I whispered, trying to look for Jake in the trees. Eventually, I could see Jake and Bella emerge and he ran her over here.

He put her down and Bella looked about as disgusted as I felt. I hoped that Jake hadn't given her a hard time. I ran over to him and he wrapped me in a hug.

"See, was that so bad?" Jake asked, kissing my forehead.

"It was awful," I nodded. He laughed and shook his head.

"You two are _so_ annoying," Bella rolled her eyes. Edward laughed in agreement. I stuck my tongue out at them.

Within minutes, Alice and Jasper were back.

"Well?" Bella asked him.

"As long as you don't touch anything, Bella, I can't _imagine_ someone sticking their nose close enough to that trail to catch your scent," Jasper confirmed. For what it was worth, the plan worked. "It was almost completely obscured."

"A definite success," Alice wrinkled her nose. I thought by now they would be used to the scent, but I guess I was wrong.

"And it gave me an idea," Jasper added.

"Which will work," Alice confirmed before we even knew what the idea was.

"Clever," Edward agreed, reading Jasper's mind.

"How do you _stand_ that?" Jacob muttered to me. I giggled.

"You get used to it, babe," I kissed his cheek, smiling. It was annoying as hell, but I wasn't going to give Jake more material.

"We're – well _you're_ – going to leave a false trail to the clearing, Bella," Edward explained. "The newborns are hunting, your scent will excite them, and they'll come exactly the way we want them to without being careful about it. Alice can already see that this will work. When they catch our scent, they'll split up and try to come at us from two sides. Half will go through the forest, where her vision suddenly disappears…"

"Yes!" Jacob hissed, and a jumped at the sudden excitement. Edward smiled at him, a smile of true comradery, which made me smile in return. I never thought I would see this day.

"Not a chance," Edward said suddenly, directed towards Jasper. My head shot up at his change in tone.

"I know, I know," Jasper said quickly. "I didn't even consider it, not really," Jasper defended. Alice stepped on his foot.

"If Bella were actually there in the clearing," Jasper explained to her, "it would drive them insane. They wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything but her. It would make picking them off truly easy…" Edward's glare had Jasper backtracking. He wasn't going to be able to talk his way out of this.

"Of course it's too dangerous for her. It was just an errant thought," Jasper said quickly, but I could see him quickly glance at Bella. As much as he said he wasn't considering it, he was.

"No," Edward finalized.

"You're right," Jasper acknowledged and backed off.

"What about me?" I asked quietly as Jasper was about to walk away. No way Edward would let Bella in the clearing, but another human? It would have the same effect.

"Are you crazy?" Jake yelled from behind me.

"Jake, calm down. Bella may not be able to be in the clearing, but I have human blood too. If we left a corresponding trail with my blood, it would not only lead them to the clearing but my blood would have the same affect. His plan makes a lot of sense, Edward."

"You think just because I wouldn't let Bella in the clearing that gives you the okay? Hardly, Dani," Edward said. "You're not going in there any more than she is. Neither of you will be anywhere near this battle."

Jake relaxed and put his hands on my shoulder. "Don't you ever offer yourself like that again," I heard him growl behind me.

"You don't own me, Jake. This is my family," I told him. I didn't want to start another fight, but I wasn't going to let him push me around like that.

"We all just want what's best for you, and that is keeping you out of the clearing," Edward tried to ease some of the tension.

"The plan will work plenty fine without either of the girls being martyrs," Alice told us, then looked at Jasper.

"Best two out of three?" He asked her as they went to practice again.

"Jasper's smart," I defended. "He thinks of things from a military perspective. He's not trying to put us in danger," I told Jacob. Edward nodded in agreement. Jake snorted.

"I'll bring Bella here Friday afternoon to lay the false trail," Edward changed the subject. "You can meet us afterward, and carry her to a place I know. Completely out of the way, and easily defensible, not that it will come to that," Edward paused to point out. "I'll take another route there."

"And then what? Leave her with a cell phone?" Jacob asked critically.

"You have a better idea?" Edward asked.

"You were going to leave her with a cellphone?" I looked at my brother wide-eyed. _Are you crazy?_ Edward ignored me, looking at Jacob.

"Oh…again, dog, not bad at all," Edward murmured. I looked at Jacob for an explanation and he was more than happy to be the good guy and give one to us.

"We tried to talk Seth into staying behind with the younger two. He's still too young, but he's stubborn and he's resisting. So I thought of a new assignment for him – cell phone," Jacob smiled. Now it was his turn to get a weird look from me. Bella gave me a confused look. She didn't understand.

"As long as Seth is in his wolf form, he'll be connected to the pack," I explained. "They can all hear each other in wolf form." I kind of liked knowing more than Bella did.

"Distance isn't a problem?" Edward asked.

"Nope," Jake popped the P.

"Three hundred miles?" Jake nodded. "That's impressive."

"That's the farthest we've ever gone to experiment," Jake explained. "Still clear as a bell."

Bella nodded, but still looked lost. I forgot that there was a lot she still didn't know about Jacob. I was fortunate in that way. I knew everything about my family and everything about the wolves. Nobody had to keep secrets from me, because I was part of three different worlds. It was probably the only good thing about that.

"It's a good idea," Edward admitted, and I smiled. I liked the idea of my boys getting along. "I'll feel better with Seth there, even without the instantaneous communication. I don't know if I'd be able to leave Bella there alone. To think it's come to this, though! Trusting werewolves!" Edward scoffed. I rolled my eyes. _Don't start._

"Fighting _with_ vampires instead of against them!" Jake joined in. My boys were joking with each other. It was a bit morbid, but they were joking with each other. I died and went to heaven.

"Well, you still get to fight against some of them," Edward told him. Jake smiled.

"That's the reason we're here," he said. I decided to step in before this became too good to be true.

"On that note," I stepped away from Jake, "is it alright if I go back with Jake for a while? I'm allowed to miss school today," I asked Edward.

"Why do you need _his_ permission?" Jake scoffed. I glared at him, daring him to say anything else.

"Do you see my father here?" I hissed at him. "You were doing great, don't ruin it."

"Sorry," he apologized.

"Go for it, Dani. Just be back by dinner."

"You're never back for dinner," I mumbled. It's not like we were going to do anything.

"I don't eat dinner," he ruffled my hair, laughing. "Still, no one wants you out and about after dark right now. There could be vampires lurking," Edward joked.

"Oh my word," I groaned. Edward's jokes were _terrible_. "Good bye," I waved to him as I walked back over to Jake.

"Your ride awaits, madam," Jake held out his arms. I looked at him warily.

"I actually don't do so well with riding on people," I told him. "I was hoping we could hike it back?"

"You got like, three hours of sleep last night, and now you want to hike? What's _wrong_ with you?" Jake laughed. I shrugged.

"Just make sure I don't fall on my face. We can nap when we get back to your house," I grinned, pecking him on the cheek.

"Is that my reward for being good?" He wagged his eyebrows. I shoved him.

"Yes, _sleeping_!" I emphasized, and he laughed, grabbing me around the waste and kissing me from behind. In the midst of the chaos, he was my silver lining, no doubt.

"Good enough for me, angel."


	56. Fear

FEAR

I didn't make it a mile before Jake had to carry me. I kept tripping over myself and I couldn't catch my breath because my body was so tired. I knew from the moment we started walking he was struggling to let me do what I wanted, but after ten or so minutes of struggling he looked at me and shook his head.

"I'm carrying you," he told me, lifting me into his arms. I tried to protest, but he wouldn't have it. "Too bad," he said. "Take a nap."

"I'm not going to take a nap when we're in the middle of the woods," I complained. I hated being carried. I wasn't a child.

"Didn't you like, grow up being passed around all the time? You should be used to this," Jake smirked. I nudged him.

"Why do you think I don't like it? My family likes to forget that I have legs," I grumbled.

" _I'll_ never forget you have legs," Jake tried to be seductive. I rolled my eyes.

"Gross," I gagged.

"Come on, you love me," He smiled.

"I do," I sighed. I loved him more than words could say.

With the silence, I could feel my eyes starting to close. It didn't help that Jake started humming as soon as he saw me trying to fight sleep.

* * *

It was way too hot for my comfort. Like… _way_ too hot. I tried to sit up and figure out _why_ it was so hot, but then I heard the reason.

"Jake," I muttered from below his arm. I tried to nudge him, but it didn't work. He was so damn heavy.

"Jacob," I said again, louder and still struggling. I was going to have to take a shower after this. Finally, I turned to a last resort. I bit him.

"What the fuck?!" He jumped, and I just sat there smiling. I kissed him, trying to get him to forgive me.

"Are you sure you're not a bloodsucker?" Jake asked, still confused as to why I would bite him like that.

"What, I thought you liked kinky?" I joked, winking at him. His eyes widened. He was the one who made the sexual jokes, not me.

"Have my ears deceived me?" He asked, crawling over to where I was. The problem was that his bed wasn't very big, especially with him on it, and the weight of the two of us was going to send us flying off.

"Jake, you're going to tip the- " I tried to warn him, but it was too late. Both Jake and the bed were on top of me, and I couldn't breathe.

"Shit!" He said, quickly standing up and getting the bed back to its regular position before coming to my rescue. He sat me up and checked me over.

"Are you okay?" He asked, running his hands over my body.

"I think you just wanted a reason to feel me up," I smiled. He gave me a look.

"You're a sicko," He laughed, pulling me up and into his arms. We started kissing, and we didn't stop for a very long time.

* * *

"We should have sleepovers more often," Jake smirked, playing with my hair.

"We didn't do anything, Jake," I reminded him. The last thing I needed was the whole pack thinking that we had sex when we didn't.

"We made out. A lot," he reminded me. "If you need a reminder we can do it again."

"Jake," I warned him. "We pride ourselves on this relationship being more than physical. Don't make me have to set boundaries."

"Danielle Cullen, I love you for a thousand reasons, the least of which is your body. You could be the ugliest human on earth and I would still love you," he kissed my forehead.

"That's because the supernatural world decided we were soulmates," I kissed him back. "You don't have a choice but to love me."

"Which is why I will never mind _not_ being physical with you," He kissed me again.

"You're _such_ a bad liar," I laughed. "You wouldn't make it a week without making out with me."

* * *

Jake dropped me off before dinner, just like I promised. I know he wished that we had more time together, but I had homework to do. More than usual considering I skipped today. I told him that I could meet up with him again tonight, but he told me he'd rather see me sleeping than watching them fight.

When I walked into the house, it was like walking into George Washington's office during the Revolutionary War. Jasper, Dad, Emmett, and Edward were all huddled around the dining room table while Rosalie and Mom were looking on worriedly.

"What's going on?" I asked, trying to get a good look of the drawings on the table. Dad made eye contact with mom and I knew what was going to happen next. They didn't want me here.

"Nothing, just planning for the weekend," Mom smiled. "Are you hungry?"

"Always," I grinned. Plus, if she was making my dinner I might have an excuse to stay in the kitchen and eavesdrop.

"Dani, out," Edward mumbled loud enough for me to hear. _Damn mind reader,_ I grumbled at him. He raised his eyebrows at me.

"I'll come down with dinner when it's ready," Mom promised.

"Can I play your piano?" I asked Edward. I was hardly ever allowed to use it since it was so nice, but I thought I could push it in this situation.

"Yes, but please be careful," Edward nodded, trying to get me to leave. I ran downstairs to the piano and began to play.

I got lost playing, so when Rose came down with dinner I jumped a little.

"That was really nice, Dani," She smiled.

"Thanks, Rose," I told her, taking the plate from her and going to sit on the couch. I looked at her for a few moments before taking a bite of the chicken Mom had made.

"So…how much trouble will you be in if you tell me what they're talking about? I might be a human, but I'm not stupid. Something changed."

"It's nothing to worry about," Rosalie pulled some of my hair back while I ate.

"Then why is Jasper stressed out?" I questioned her. Just because my brothers and sisters were vampires didn't mean that they didn't feel emotions, which meant that they had tells.

"How do you know he's stressed? Isn't this how he normally acts?" Rosalie laughed a little.

"He has this line on his face that only shows up when he's stressed, like when we're playing a video game and he's losing."

"You're too smart, you know that?"

"So what's going on?" I pushed.

"Bella asked Edward to sit out," Rosalie finally caved. My eyes widened. Bella was ballsy.

"Isn't that a terrible idea? Don't you need all the bodies you can get? Wasn't this a huge problem like, a week ago?" I didn't realize how loud I was getting before Rosalie tried to quiet me down.

"A week ago, this was a problem. We _didn't_ have enough people and the odds were tight. With the wolves fighting, it's manageable. That's what they're talking about. It's going to be okay."

"So Edward is going to sit out," I breathed.

"It looks like it, yeah," Rosalie said. "Are you okay?"

"As long as everyone is still safe, I'm okay," I told her, finishing my dinner.

* * *

That night, I looked at Bella a little differently. It reminded me of how I thought of her when she first came into my family's life. I knew that she meant well, I just couldn't help but think that this was a selfish move on her part. I would never ask Jake to sit out, because I knew he was an integral part of the pack. Without him, they were at a disability. I couldn't help but think of my brother the same way. My family relied on him so much, particularly in a tactical sense. Without him, there were certain comforts that would be sacrificed. All because Bella couldn't live without Edward for a few hours. Yeah, I was salty.

Emmett drove me up in the jeep this time. I didn't feel like throwing up, so when Emmett offered, I took him up on it. I don't think Dad was thrilled as Emmett's driving made him nervous, particularly in an off-road setting, but it was fine. Jasper ended up coming with us as well, which helped. I secretly think Dad trusts Jasper with me more than with Emmett.

Jake was there with two other wolves when we arrived. I got out of the car and walked right over to Jake, running my fingers through his fur. I didn't know where the others were, but I didn't ask. I figured Jake was just anxious to see me again and didn't want to wait.

We got there about a half hour before Mom and Dad showed up. They had taken a leisurely stroll to get here, and were holding hands when they arrived. Alice and Rosalie came shortly after, and then eventually Bella and Edward appeared. I glared at her a little and tensed, and Jake felt it. He nudged me.

"Don't worry about it," I told him, then I added, "I'll tell you later." He looked at me funny, but let it go. He didn't really have the ability to argue.

Eventually, Edward and Bella made their way over to us. I stared at the ground, and Jake stared at me for a moment before looking at Bella.

"Jacob," Edward greeted him. However, Jake ignored him, staring only at Bella. He cocked his head to the side, as if asking her what was wrong with me. I shook my head. I didn't want to start anything.

"She's fine," Edward answered for me, reading Jake's thoughts. Jake growled. I put my hand on his shoulder. I didn't want a fight.

"I'm just worried, we all are," I tried to end it. It was bad enough my whole family was fighting an army of vampires. I didn't need to go back to being anxious about the relationship between my boyfriend and my brother.

"He wants to know why you're worried," Edward said, but Jake barked. Edward rolled his eyes.

"Correction: he wants to know what the hell there is to be worried about. I edited because I thought it was rude," Edward defended. He was quiet for a minute before asking if we'd be okay without a translator because Jasper needed his help.

"We'll manage," Bella nodded. Edward looked at her for a moment before disappearing. Bella looked at me briefly before her eyes fell.

"Jake, you should go," I told my wolf, running my fingers through his fur again. "I need to talk to Bella, and you need to watch."

"It's okay, Jake," Bella confirmed. She knew why I wanted to talk to her alone. Jake looked between us for a moment before hesitantly leaving us be. I took a deep breath before looking at Bella again.

"I'm so scared," I confessed to her. I didn't want her to think that I was mad. I hoped that explaining my fear would get her to see that.

"I know, me too," she whispered. "I'm sorry about Edward," she apologized. I wasn't expecting that.

"Honestly, it's okay. It doesn't help the anxiety, but it's okay."

"Everything is going to work out, Dani. It has to," Bella tried to convince me. I know she had been talking to Alice a lot about everything.

"Things can change. With the wolves it's harder for her to see things," I didn't need to explain who 'she' was.

"I didn't want anyone to fight for me. I never asked them to," Bella confessed.

"They love you, Bella. We all love you. You never had to ask. You're one of us now, whether you asked for it or not. This is what we do," I told her.

"How can you be so kind to me? I keep putting everyone you love in danger," Bella asked. I rolled my eyes.

"You do," I told her. "That doesn't change the fact that the four months where you weren't a part of our lives were the worst for months for my family. It was like losing a sister or a daughter. It was as heartbreaking for me as it was for them. We've all been there, Bella. We've all gotten ourselves into some kind of trouble. You are just getting it out of the way while you're a human," I grinned.

"Thank you, for being there," Bella smiled. "I don't know how I would have gotten through all of this without you."

"Honestly, Bella, I feel the same way. It's nice having a human to be stuck in this mess with."

"I wouldn't choose anyone else."

 **Happy Halloween!**


	57. Scream

SCREAM

Alice was in an absolutely rotten mood. I mean, no one was in a _good_ mood today, but she was particularly nasty.

"I thing that you're going to want to pack for cold weather, Edward," she told him. I was playing cards with Emmett, trying to pass the time. Jacob was going to come pick me up and bring me back to Emily's house before he had to take Bella on their little "hike" up the mountain. I was trying not to be the anxious mess that I was.

"I can't see where you are exactly, because you're taking off with that _dog_ this afternoon, but the storm that's coming seems particularly bad in that general area," Alice continued. I looked up at her, and then at Emmett. Emmett shrugged.

"It's going to snow on the mountains," she warned him.

"Ew, snow," I heard Bella mutter from where she was sitting.

"Wear a jacket," Alice told her in a manner very unlike her usual friendly self. Bella raised her eyebrows, and I just shook my head. Whatever Alice was bitchy about, there wasn't anything we could do about it.

Edward came back in about thirty minutes later and told me to call Jacob to come get me. "We'll be ready for him in an hour or so. He knows where to meet us."

I called the house phone, but he wasn't there. Sam probably had him running patrols. Billy promised to call around until he could find an available werewolf to pass the news to. He told me to reassure Bella that he has his part under control, and Billy was absolutely safe with him. He also told me to wish my family good luck, which was something I wasn't expecting. Maybe there was hope for a conjoined family in the future after all.

"Billy said to tell you all 'good luck,'" I shouted, knowing everyone could hear me.

"That was generous of him," Edward commented, breaking away from whatever staring contest he was having with Alice.

"Bella, could I please speak to you alone?" Alice asked swiftly.

"You're about to make my life harder than it needs to be, Alice," Edward warned her, clearly not wanting her to say whatever she was about to say. "I'd really rather you didn't."

"This isn't about you, Edward," She shot at him. Emmett and I shared another glance. Edward laughed.

"It's not," Alice insisted. "This is a female thing."

"Let her talk to me," Bella told Edward. Edward shrugged.

"You asked for it," he muttered, and came to sit by Emmett and me. As soon as Bella and Alice left, I turned to Edward.

"What was that all about?" I asked him. He chuckled.

"I asked Bella to marry me last night," he admitted. I smiled.

"Congratulations," I said, hugging him. "I still don't understand, though, why is Alice so pissed off about that? I thought she'd be excited?"

"Bella…doesn't want a traditional marriage," Edward admitted, looking at the floor. "She wants to go to Vegas."

I couldn't help but laugh. Leave it to Bella to ruin the one sacred tradition of this family.

"That explains a lot, actually," I laughed. Edward nodded. "Poor Bella," I added, knowing my sister was reading her the riot act right about now. Just then, we heard Bella yell for Edward to go to the garage.

"That's my cue," Edward sighed, going out to deal with his fiancée and sister. I shook my head.

"Women," I grumbled. Emmett gave me a weird look, then just smiled and we went back to the game. He understands me.

Jacob showed up ten minutes later and texted me to meet him outside. He brought his motorcycle, which Edward wasn't exactly thrilled to see, but I promised him I'd be careful. I made a point to put my helmet and jacket on while Edward was still in our presence.

We got Emily's and I groaned. This was the last place I wanted to be today.

"You'll be fine," Jake promised, squeezing my hand. I glared at him.

"It's how I know you'll be safe so that _I_ can be safe," he rephrased, knowing what I actually needed to hear. I made a face.

"Call me as _soon_ as you're done," I pointed at him. "I don't want to be an anxious mess any longer than necessary, and you know my family won't call me."

"I will call you as soon as everyone is safe," Jake promised, pulling me into his arms. "I need to go get Bella, babe," he told me.

"I don't like this," I whined again. I didn't want to let him go.

"Your family needs me. This will help them," Jake ran his fingers through my hair.

"I'm not ready to let you go yet, they can wait," I grumbled into Jake's chest. He laughed.

"I'm going to count to three," Jake started, and I smacked him.

"All right, go," I surrendered. "But you better not get yourself killed."

"Everything will be okay," Jake smiled, kissing me on the forehead one more time before taking off his jacket and running into the forest behind Emily's house. I reached over and grabbed it, and put it on. The smell was comforting, even if my family would make me take ten showers before entering my house.

I walked into Emily's house, and it was nice to know I wasn't the one winning the freak out award. Emily was baking, trying to hide how worried she was, but Kim was beside herself. Claire was hanging out with us too, apparently, but she had no idea what was going on.

"Hi Dani!" Emily called from the kitchen. I smiled and waved.

"Hey Emily," I called to her on my way into their living room. The boys had left video games everywhere. Emily never made them clean up after themselves despite Sam's protests. She wanted them to be able to be children here, since they couldn't anywhere else.

"Hey Kim," I said, and she jumped up and hugged me. She had been crying.

"It's going to be okay," I told her. "Everyone is confident that everything will be okay." Considering I no longer had any contact with my family, everyone better be okay. I didn't want to think of the alternatives.

"I know, I just worry. It's harder with the imprint bond," she explained. I nodded in understanding.

"Everyone I love in this world is involved in this, and the only one I can think of is Jacob. I completely understand."

"How were they feeling this morning?" Emily asked. It was strange, talking about my family was usually taboo.

"They're alright, everyone just wants this to be over so we can move on," I told her. It was true. Emmett was a little more excited than everyone else, but this was even starting to take its toll on him.

"It will be over soon," Emily said in a dead tone. We all just wanted our boys back.

* * *

I wish I could say the rest of the afternoon was that easy, but I would be lying. I had done such a good job of being strong, but when we heard the howling at around 2:00, I knew something was terribly, terribly wrong.

Emily and I shared a frantic glance, and I tried to run out to see what was going on.

"There's a protocol," Emily tried to stop me. I knew what it was; in the event of danger we weren't supposed to leave the "safe house."

"The protocol is bullshit, that's my family Emily," I told her wide-eyed. "At least let me figure out what happened."

"I can't let you leave," Emily admitted, sadly. I was furious.

"What are you going to do? _Fight_ me? I don't want to hurt you Emily, but I swear to God you need to get out of my way," I warned her.

"Danielle," someone said from the doorway. It was Sam. He looked terrible. Something really bad happened.

"No," I told him, starting to tear up. Someone got hurt, I could feel it.

"You need to come with me," was all he said. I looked at Emily, who just nodded. She looked as terrified as I did.

"Come on, we need to hurry," Sam said, taking my hand. I didn't trust myself to walk on my own. "I'll explain on the way there."

We got in his car and he told me everything. My family was safe. No one died, but Jacob got hurt. It was bad. A newborn crushed his entire right side. My dad and Edward were helping him. Billy and Charlie were there.

As soon as I saw Jake's house, and the people crowded around it, I jumped out of Sam's car. I didn't care that it was still moving. I heard people yelling at me, but I didn't care. I heard Jake's scream and I felt a pair of arms grab me and start yelling my name, telling me to calm down. I fought them all. I was going to get into that room.

Edward came out, and I broke. I could still hear Jake yelling in the background, but I was sobbing. He ushered me into Jake's kitchen and just held me for a few minutes.

"Breathe, Dani," he had to remind me more than once.

"Jacob is going to be okay," he said over and over again. It was bad now, but he was going to be okay. He was going to need me.

I tried to ask where Bella was, but I couldn't get the words out. Edward nodded in understanding.

"She's with Alice, she'll stop by later. It worked better with the story," Edward explained. "Listen, Dani, I know you're hurting right now. I know this is scary. However, Jake needs you, and he needs you to be strong for him. He needs to see you fighting for him, because he's just as scared as you are and he's in a lot of pain. It isn't pretty, but you need to put on a brave face for him, okay? If you can't do that, I can't let you in there."

Jake let out another scream, and I wanted to scream with him. I held my breath until he stopped.

"What is dad _doing_ to him?" I cried. Why was he in so much pain?

"He has to re-break all of the bones that tried to heal before they were set. We gave him morphine, but his body temperature is making it ineffective. He needs you, Dani."

"Okay, then let's go," I told him, standing up.

"Remember what I said, you need to be strong," Edward looked at me. I nodded. I could do this for Jacob.

"Okay, let's go," Edward nodded, and led me into Jake's room.


	58. Worth It

WORTH IT

I walked into Jake's room, and my heart broke for my beautiful boy.

"Jake…" I murmured, stopping in the door, catching my breath. I saw Jake's eyes flicker to me before Dad cracked another one of his bones. Jake screamed, writhing in pain, and I retreated into Edward, who was standing behind me. I felt him put his hands on my shoulders.

"Remember what I said," He whispered in my ear. _I need to be brave. I need to be strong. I need to help him._ I reminded myself. Edward squeezed my shoulders before nudging me forward.

"Dani…" I heard Jake whine from his bed. Dad looked on sadly, trying to administer more morphine.

"I'm here, I'm here," I said, going over to him and holding his hand. "It's going to be okay," I looked around and found a small cloth that was beside his bed. I took it and wiped his forehead. He was sweating so much…

"It hurts," Jake cried, and my heart broke even more. I rested my forehead on his.

"I know, baby, I know," I whispered to him. "I'm here now, it's okay. Use me," I told him. "I'm not going anywhere."

Dad and I made eye contact before he went to break the last bone. Jake screamed, again, and instinctually squeezed my hand. Unfortunately, he was too out of it to realize how much force he used, and I felt something in my hand snap. I heard Edward growl from the side of the room, and rush over to me.

"I'm fine, it's fine," I tried to convince him, trying not to let on that Jacob hurt me. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, but at least now I could feel some of what Jake was going through. I could take his pain away.

"That's not your job," Edward told me, trying to take a look at my hand. Dad was still tending to Jake, but I could tell he was worried too. I shook my head.

"This isn't about me," I hissed. Trying to wipe Jake's brow again. My hand was throbbing, but there was nothing I could do about it right now. Jake came first.

"That was the last one, sweetheart" Dad mentioned from where he was standing and in all honesty, I couldn't figure out who he was talking to. With that, I smiled a bit.

"Let me look at your hand, Dani," Edward pushed. I sighed, now that the worst was over, I guess it would be fine.

"The worst is over, babe," I kissed Jacob on the forehead before moving over to Edward, who was hovering in the doorway.

"It's broken," Edward murmured, probing my hand. I couldn't move my pinky finger, and it definitely looked swollen.

"Displaced," Edward murmured, again to himself. I had lived with a doctor long enough to know what that meant.

 _Just do it so I can get back to Jacob,_ I thought to Edward. _I don't want him knowing about this._

As soon as Edward was about to reset my finger, Bella came in. I nodded to her to go closer to Jacob.

"He broke my hand, be careful," I smiled at her. I knew that they needed to talk. I'd go back to him afterwards.

"Come on," Edward said, and Dad followed behind us. Dad put his hands on my shoulders while Edward pulled on my finger to set it back into place. Externally, I barely flinched. Internally, I called Edward just about every name in the book.

"Deep breaths, love," Edward laughed. Dad handed him the wrapping.

"We need to wait for the swelling to go down a little before we put you in a cast. Try not to move your hand to much in the meantime. It could agitate the break," Dad explained.

"Gotcha," I nodded. A lot of the pressure had been released with the displaced finger, but my hand still hurt like a bitch.

"What the hell happened to you?" Billy said, coming into the kitchen. He must have finally be let in.

"Jake broke my hand," I smiled. Billy was wide eyed. "It wasn't his fault, it was mine. I should have known better than to offer a supernatural creature in pain my hand."

"He's still going to blame himself," Billy muttered, worried about one more thing that would hurt his son.

"He's going to be okay, Billy. It's going to get better now," I told him.

"Jacob has already begun to heal. He should be fine in another day or so," my Dad added. Then, he turned to me. "I'm assuming you will be staying here until then?"

"Yeah, I already have some clothes at Emily's," I told him. He nodded.

"Call me if you need anything else, and remember to come home at some point so we can do something with your hand."

"Will do," I promised, hugging him and Edward goodbye. Edward didn't say goodbye to Bella, but we knew that he would be seeing her later anyways.

As soon as they left, Bella came out of the room, storming outside. My eyes shot up to Billy and I raced inside Jake's bedroom.

"What happened? Are you okay?" I asked him, running up and running my fingers down his face, careful to hide my hand from him.

"It's fine, I'm fine," Jake mumbled. He wasn't fine.

"What did she say to you?" I inquired.

"Nothing that we didn't already know," he grumbled. "Did you know about the wedding?"

"Of course I did," I confessed. "Edward's my brother," I reminded him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jake looked hurt that I kept this from him. I didn't know that it made a difference.

"When was I supposed to tell you? When we were being attacked? When you were off nearly getting yourself killed?" I started crying again, remembering how horrible today was.

"I'm fine, babe," Jake said, softly. "How's your hand?" He pointed.

"I was hoping you wouldn't remember that part," I chuckled. "Edward took care of me, I'll be fine."

"Did I break it?" I nodded. He took a deep breath and reached for my hand. It was still swollen.

"Holy shit," he mumbled. "Babe, I'm _so_ sorry."

"It wasn't your fault, Jake," I told him. "I'll be fine. It's a small fraction of what you went through. I was glad I was able to take some of the pain away."

"That's _not_ your job," Jake growled. I laughed.

"Why the _hell_ are you laughing about that? I _hurt_ you, Dani! It's the one thing I've always been afraid of doing and I did it!"

"Shh, you don't need to get upset, love," I told him. "I'm laughing because that's the same thing my brother said. I guess I'm just an overachiever."

"That's true," Jake trailed off. "You're the best."

"Do you still love me?" I asked without thinking. As soon as I asked it, I felt him tense. I looked down at my feet.

"Danielle Cullen look at me right now," Jake ordered, and I hesitantly looked into his beautiful brown eyes.

"I love you more than I love sunshine, cliff diving, and killing vampires. My world would be absolutely _nothing_ without you inside of it. My days without you in them are like living in eternal darkness. You are the light of my life, Dani. I would give up _everything_ to keep you with me forever," Jake promised.

"If you want me _forever_ , then why were you so upset over the wedding?" I asked him.

"I love Bella," he confessed, but before I could react, he continued, "we have a history together, and you know that. I love her in so many ways, and for a long time, I thought she was endgame. When she was in here, she basically told me that I was never endgame for her. Edward was. Since meeting you, though, since _loving_ you, it has been one hundred percent you. I want to marry you someday, Danielle. I want to love you forever. When I was attacked by the newborn, the only thing I could think of was how I promised you forever, and we weren't going to get that. That thought alone broke me in more ways than that newborn leech ever could."

I spent a long time staring at his bed, and I could feel him grow more anxious by the minute. After a few moments of me staring at the bed without speaking, he spoke up again.

"You're trying to figure out how to get up here and make out with me, aren't you?" Jake laughed. I looked up at him and started cracking up, tears falling down my face.

"Come here, silly girl," Jake smiled and scooted over the best he could. I used my good hand to prop myself up while I made out with him. He shook his head.

"I confess my undying love to you, and all you want to do is make out?"

"Well, there's some other things I want to do too, but I think they'll have to wait until we've healed a little bit," I winked. "Now shut up and kiss me."

That night made everything else worth it.


	59. A Long Weekend

**A LONG WEEKEND**

 _For the first time in forever, it was calm outside. There was no snow, there was no rain, and there was no thunder. It was just sunshine._

 _I was sitting in my mother's car, waiting for her to come outside. We were going to the movies._

 _"Hey there," someone said, opening the door. It was Jacob._

 _"What are you doing here?" I asked him, smiling. I always smiled when I saw my Jacob._

 _"I missed you," he shrugged, as if that were an excuse for appearing out of thin air. I rolled my eyes and kissed him._

 _"My mom is on her way, we're going to Chicago."_

 _"I wish I could meet your mom," Jake said, sadly, running his fingers through my hair._

 _"What do you mean? She's on her…" I looked around. It was dark again, and raining. The thunder and lightning was back. I looked for Jacob, but he wasn't there anymore._

 _"Jacob?" I cried. I was scared again._

 _"Jacob?"_

"I'm right here, Dani" _I heard him say, but I couldn't find him._

"Open your eyes, babe," _he said again. Open my eyes?_

I did as he said and I saw him staring at me, confused. Billy and my Dad were also in the room, which was a little awkward.

"Are you okay?" Jake asked, brushing my hair back.

"I think so," I mumbled, not quite awake yet. It was such a strange dream.

"Dani, I have to check on Jacob, why don't you go with Billy into the kitchen?" Dad suggested. I nodded, knowing that I would have to leave eventually anyways. I'd make Jake some breakfast. I went to stand up, but Jake grabbed my arm.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked me, rubbing his good hand up and down my arm.

"I'm fine, good luck," I smiled, and I got up and walked over to Billy. Dad gave me a weird look as I passed him, but I shrugged him off. I knew he was worried about my dream, but he was also not pleased that I had slept in the same bed as Jacob last night.

I walked out into the kitchen and started rummaging around for something I could make for Jacob. Billy followed behind me.

"How about Omelets?" I asked him. He smiled.

"Omelets are good. Jake needs the protein," Billy nodded. "What was your dream about?"

"Who do you think?" I smirked. I was pretty sure the only thing I said out loud was Jake's name.

"I know it was more than just Jacob," Billy hinted. "Jake used to have nightmares about his mom after she died too, you know."

I tensed, and I dropped the pan I was holding. I had been keeping these nightmares a secret for so long, and in just one night, Billy noticed and called me out on them. I picked up the pan and put it in the sink before grabbing another one.

"It's okay to miss her, you know," Billy said, rolling up behind me.

"She's not my mom anymore," I told him. "Esme is my mom."

"It doesn't mean you don't have memories of a life before her," Billy pushed. "Have you ever talked to the Cullens about what your life before them was like?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I told Billy.

"How long has it been? Ten years?" Billy guessed. I shook my head.

"Please stop," I told him. All I wanted to do was make breakfast.

"Alright," he told me. "All I'm saying is this part of your life is an important piece of you, just like Jake's mother is an important piece of him. If you stop ignoring that, maybe the dreams will go away."

Billy didn't say anything after that. I had my reasons for not telling my vampire family about my human one. For one, I hardly remembered any of it, so there was no reason to bring them there. Two, we had already danced around the edges. I knew that I was biologically related to Edward, so did the rest of the family. It was how they had found me. Edward probably knew more about my human-family life than I did. There was no reason for me to talk about it.

I finished the omelets and watched as my Dad came out. He motioned for me to come outside with him.

"Can I bring Jake breakfast, first?" I asked. Dad nodded.

Jake took one look at my face and knew something was bothering me.

"Did I get you in trouble?" Jake asked, trying to sit up. I shook my head. I knew I wasn't in trouble.

"Your dad has a loud mouth," I mumbled, handing him his omelet. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Do you need backup?" Jake asked, a little too seriously.

"I can handle my old man on my own," I laughed. "Even with a broken hand. You eat up."

"Good luck," Jake waved as I walked out of the room. Billy was still rolling around in the kitchen when I left out the front door.

"I'm sorry," I said before he even had time to yell at me for last night. "It wasn't intentional it just happened – _nothing_ happened," I asserted at the end.

"I believe you," Dad smiled, pulling me into his arms. "How is your hand?"

"It's alright," I told him, leaning my head on his shoulder. He pulled me away so that he could look at it.

"How bad is the pain?" He asked, knowing that if he asked if it hurt I would have just said no.

"A throbbing annoyance," I shrugged. It wasn't awful. Dad dug through his bag and pulled out some ibuprofen.

"Take two after you eat breakfast," he ordered. I nodded.

"Yes, sir," I smiled.

"Are you planning on coming home at all today?" Dad asked. I looked back at Jake's house.

"I think Bella is coming over at some point, so I'll figure out when she's coming and I'll get one of the boys to take me home then so I can shower."

"Sounds like a plan," Dad sighed. I gave him a weird look. "When did you become so grown up?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh my goodness," I laughed. Dad laughed too. I saw the boys starting to make their way over and turned back to him.

"You should probably head out," I told him. He nodded.

"I love you, I'll see you soon," he said, kissing me on the forehead. I hugged him goodbye and then went back inside.

I quickly made my way to Jake's room. He had already finished the omelets. I could tell he was still hungry, so I offered mine to him.

"You need to eat something, Dani," Jake protested. I shook my head.

"I'll make something else later. The boys are on their way over, so I'm sure they're bringing food from Emily. I won't starve, I promise," I kissed Jake on the forehead and handed him my omelet.

"You okay?" Jake asked, reading my face. I shrugged.

"It's been a long weekend," I defended. He nodded.

"What did my dad say that pissed you off so much?" He asked, but I didn't have time to answer before the boys came in.

"Hey Jake, hey Dani," Sam greeted us. He was the first in followed by most of the older boys.

"Woah, maybe we should limit it to like, two at a time?" I suggested, already feeling overwhelmed. There was hardly any room to move in Jake's room when there were only two people, never mind six giant wolf-boys.

"It's fine, Dani," Jake nodded. "I have enough space," he grinned. I chuckled and shook my head, raising my hands in defeat.

"In that case, I think it's the perfect time for me to make my escape," I smiled, kissing Jake once more. "Bella will be over later, and I'll be back tonight," I promised. Jake nodded.

"Eat some breakfast!" He called out to me before I could leave the room. I gave him a thumbs up before walking out. I'd text him later when things had calmed down. I _really_ needed a shower.

I saw Seth when I walked outside and he took one look at me and pulled me into a hug.

"I look that bad?" I asked when we finally pulled apart.

"It's pretty bad," He nodded, laughing. I joined in with him.

"It's been a hell of a weekend," I sighed. All of the stress must have finally caught up with me. It didn't help that I hadn't slept well either.

"When are you heading back?" Seth asked. He knew that I hadn't been home yet.

"I was actually wondering about that myself," I nudged him. "Can you drive, yet?"

"Not legally, but yeah, the boys have been teaching me much to Leah's dismay," He smiled. He loved his sister, but any chance he could get to antagonize her, he took his opportunities. I knew the feeling. Being the youngest was rough.

"How about getting some practice in and driving me to the treaty line?" I egged him on. I saw him look towards Jake's house. "Jake will be here when you get back," I promised. "If he isn't, I'll kick his ass for you."

"Sounds like a plan," Seth high-fived me and we started walking back to his house. On the way, I sent a quick text to Emmett asking if he'd come pick me up. I knew that Edward would be with Bella and Emmett was the least emotionally taxing to deal with. Plus, I knew he'd spend more time talking about the fight than any of the repercussions of it. I wouldn't have to do much with him.

Of all the boys, I had a soft spot for Seth. I think a huge part of it was Harry's death last spring, but even so. Seth didn't go looking for fights the way the other boys did. I could picture them as wolves and warriors. As far as Seth goes, I could hardly picture him hurting a fly. It made me feel for him.

"What are you thinking about?" Seth asked.

"You and what a sucky driver you are," I laughed. The truth was, he was doing great.

"Good to know, your boo taught me," I rolled my eyes.

"Don't ever call Jacob my _boo_ again, that's repulsive," I gagged. Seth started cracking up.

"You know, when Jake first told us you were his imprint, we didn't think you two would make it," Seth admitted. I looked at him. This was the first I was hearing of this.

"Not that you're not a good person, because you are," Seth backtracked, "it's just you know, he was _so_ into Bella and you and your family and all…don't get me wrong I love the Cullens, it's just you know…we weren't expecting you two to work out."

"Thank you?" I told him, trying to stifle a laugh. His attempts at trying to not offend me were kind of cute.

"I'm glad you did, though. We love Bella too, but, it's different with her. She was flaky," Seth admitted, making a face. I couldn't help but laugh at that one.

"What?! It's valid! Bella wasn't an imprint, so there was nothing keeping her here! We all knew that, even Jake!" Seth defended himself. I couldn't stop laughing.

"I _like_ Bella, okay? I was just worried about what she would do to Jake! You know what? I'm just going to stop. Is that your ride?"

"Yes," I tried to sneak out in between laughs. Seth was too much. He pulled over and I hugged him. "Thank you," I whispered in his ear. He looked confused, but said "You're welcome."

"I'll see you around, Seth!" I called as I walked to Emmett's jeep. I knew Seth would hear me. I went to climb in the front, but saw Jasper there.

"I wasn't aware you were coming," I said, hoping into the back seat and buckling my harness.

"I needed to get out of the house. The girls are going crazy with wedding stuff," Jasper complained while Emmett groaned.

"Yeah, _Edward_ gets to escape it all," Emmett added to the complaining.

"How is Jacob?" Jasper asked, turning to face me.

"He's fine, the boys are with him now, so that's good," I told him. He nodded. I yawned. Now that I was away from all of the excitement, it was starting to dawn on me how truly exhausted I was.

"You can sleep when we get back, I'm sure no one will bother you," Jasper told me. I smiled in gratitude. One of the great things about having an empath for a brother is that he always knew what I needed.

The ride home was fairly quiet after that. Jasper and Emmett went back and forth complaining about their wives, but other than that, they didn't expect much conversation from me. I found myself closing my eyes a few times, but never truly finding sleep. Instead, I caught Jasper stealing a few glances from his window, and thanks to him, sleep found me.


	60. Mrs Danielle Black

MRS. DANIELLE BLACK

"Do _not_ make me go to this wedding alone," I warned my now-healed but soon to be broken again boyfriend. It had been over a month since the "accident," but ever since I hadn't been able to peel myself away. It seemed like since the fight, our families had finally begun to understand one another. I didn't feel like I was betraying anyone anymore. It felt right.

"Your whole family is going to be there, how does that make you alone?" Jake asked, shoving his face with more pizza. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes – Edward and Bella, Emmett and Rosalie, Jasper and Alice, Mom and Dad…need I go on? I'll be the only one there without a date," I whined.

"Aren't your cousins coming or something like that?" Jake was definitely not making this easy. I mean, I didn't blame him for not wanting to go. I wouldn't want to go to Andrew and Fiona's wedding if they ever invited me. Still, it was hard to imagine being there without him.

"Yes, but like I said before – family. I can't be cynical and make fun of my brother with them. You're like my partner in crime when it comes to family stuff."

"I thought you didn't like me making fun of your brother?"

"I don't like you being mean, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a well-played comment about his attitude," I pointed. Jake was almost defeated.

"Go with Seth," Jake shrugged. I groaned.

"Jake, why can't you just man up and do this for me?" I was getting annoyed now. "I understand that it will be weird and awkward, but it would mean a lot to Bella if you came and it sure as day would mean everything to me to have you there. I _need_ you," Jake sighed, grabbing my hand, then just stared for a few moments. _Don't let him bring you down. You have the power, Dani._

"Fine, you win," Jake relented.

"Yes!" I cheered and threw my fist in the air. I even stuck my tongue out at him. "You really can't resist me, can you?" I smiled. Jake shook his head.

"Apparently, I cannot," he leaned across the table and kissed me before taking our plates. "You're lucky I like you!"

"I know," I smirked and played with my new bracelet. Jake had given it to me as a gift once he healed. He had to stay in the house most of the time because others outside the pack couldn't know that he healed so quickly, so he "figured he'd make himself useful." I, as the loving girlfriend I am, however, knew that it was because he was still upset that he fractured my hand.

As soon as Jake came back and started to speak, my cellphone rang.

"Hello?" I answered as Jake started to kiss my neck. I glared at him and walked away and into his bedroom.

"Dani, I am finalizing the guest list and it is excruciatingly hard to see who will and who won't be there when you keep inviting dogs – sorry, werewolves. Who is it that is coming now?" Alice ranted. I rolled my eyes.

"Jake," I answered, taking Jake's hand. I could see Alice's shocked face in my head.

"Oh, okay," Alice said softly, then hung up the phone. I made a face and then locked it.

"What was that all about?" Jake asked, going back to kissing my neck.

"She's mad that I keep inviting the pack to the wedding, but I don't think she was expecting you to be there. I'll deal with her later," I told him, running my fingers through his hair.

"I mean if they don't want me there…"Jake trailed off, but I smacked him.

"You're going to the wedding Jacob Black," I warned him.

"What are you going to do to me if I don't go, hm?" He challenged, smirking.

"I'll grab a lead pipe and break the rest of your body," I pushed him onto the bed and climbed on top of him.

"I'd like to see you try to beat me up," Jake smiled, sitting up "I think it would be kind of cute."

"Don't tempt me," I pushed him back down. "I grew up with vampires, remember? I'm a lot stronger than I look."

"I guess that's true, but I think I could still take you," he smirked, flipping me over so that he was now on top of me. I tried to wrestle my way out of his grip, but I failed.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Charlie said from the doorway. I screamed and Jake flew off of me and onto the floor.

"Charlie, what are you doing here?" I asked, trying desperately to pull myself together. Technically Jake was still supposed to be recovering, so this was a big no-no.

"I came to grab Billy to go get our tuxedos for the wedding, but it seems like he isn't here," Charlie explained. "Aren't you supposed to be resting still, Jacob?"

"Yeah, um…my dad's at Sue's house, actually and yeah, I should definitely be getting back to bed," Jake was clearly embarrassed. He looked up to Charlie almost as much as he looked up to Billy. I took this as my cue to get off of Jake's bed and help him back up. He did most of the work, but when he fell on the bed my hand twisted a weird way and I felt a similar sharp pain.

"Ouch!" I cringed, grabbing my hand. Jake immediately sat up in bed and Charlie came rushing over.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," I recovered, stretching my hand out as best as I could. It was fine.

"You two should definitely not be goofing around like that. You'll get hurt again. Dr. Cullen and Billy sure have their hands full with you two. Anyways, I'll see you two at the wedding tomorrow, I suppose," Charlie grunted before walking out the door. It was quiet for a few moments before Jake burst into laughter.

" _What_ is so funny about that?" I gasped at him. I was horrified.

"My dad told Charlie yesterday that he'd be at Sue's getting ready for the wedding today. He must have paid him off to come over and check on us," Jake rolled his eyes, getting out of bed.

"Your dad is evil," I deadpanned, following Jake back into the kitchen. I looked at my phone again and there was a missed message from Alice.

You need to come home ASAP!

"Who is that?" Jake asked, another slice of pizza in his mouth. I pushed him away.

"You're disgusting," I said, but that only made him pull me closer and chew louder. I pushed him away again.

"It's Alice, she wants me home. Probably to torture me some more about dresses," I realized in horror.

"Do you need me to drive you?" Jake asked. I shrugged.

"If she knows you're coming then she'll probably torture you, too," I warned him. He nodded.

"Right, well, I can drive you to the line at least," Jake settled. I grabbed his hand and we walked out the door. I sent a quick text to the boys asking if any of them wanted a break and to come pick me up from the line. I got four "yes" responses.

"What are you laughing about," Jake poked me. We were already almost at the line.

"No one wants to be at the house right now, apparently. Maybe we should turn back," I suggested. "Better yet, let's both skip the wedding!" I smiled.

"Are you kidding me? Alice would kill both of us," Jake laughed. "It would be the perfect excuse, too. Kidnapping."

I rolled my eyes. "They like you," I told him. Ever since he got hurt, they had definitely warmed up.

"I think they just realized that there's too much love in your heart to ever get rid of me," Jake replied. "They like seeing you happy."

"You make me happy," I said without thinking. "I love you."  
"I love you too," he smiled, putting the truck in park and leaning over to kiss me. We didn't break apart until a horn scared the shit out of both of us.

"What the hell?!" Jake yelled, nearly hitting his head. I laughed and kissed him on the forehead.

"That's my cue," I smiled, and got out of the truck. "Tomorrow?" I pointed at him. He nodded.

"I can't wait," he said overly enthusiastic. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Don't be a pansy!" I yelled while I walked over to the Mercedes. It looks like Dad won the battle for who would be escaping.

"Hi sweetie," he said when I got in the car. Dad had taken today off of work to help set up the house for the wedding. We would have some guests arriving tonight and some arriving in the morning, and he wanted to be there for that as well.

"Yo," I told him, playing on my phone. He looked at me and then back at the road.

"You know in my day-"

"Dad, you can stop right there because in your day they didn't even have electricity," I interrupted him. He chuckled.

"Fair enough," he nodded. "Are you excited for the wedding?" He asked.

"I am now that Jake's coming," I smiled. Dad nodded.

"Yes, Alice told us about that," Dad mused, remembering something.

"I'm sure she didn't say it in as few words, either," I shook my head. I could only imagine the profanities that resulted from that phone call.

"Bella will be happy, that's all that matters," Dad said. Yeah, _Bella_.

"It'll be good for him to be there," I said. I started to say that he couldn't hold a grudge forever, but then thought against it. If anyone could hold a grudge forever it would be my stubborn as all hell boyfriend.

"It's good for you too," Dad pointed out.

"Are you trying to turn this into one of your 'talks'?" I groaned. He laughed.

"Some people appreciate my wisdom," Dad said as we pulled into the driveway. I rolled my eyes.

"I guess I'm not old enough for that yet," I smiled, and dad shook his head.

"Just when I think you are older than your age, you once again surprise me with how young you can act," Dad said.

I stared at him, "Isn't that what you tell Emmett when he breaks a window?"

Dad looked at me pointedly and walked away. Wow, that was low.

* * *

No sooner did I walk in the house and Alice was waiting for me.

"Do your worst," I told her, and she dragged me up to her bedroom. Mom and Rosalie were in there as well, looking through magazines. Alice led me up onto a pedestal and left me there while she went to grab something. My dress, I presume.

"How long do you think I'll be up here," I whispered as softly as I could, but it still wasn't softly enough.

"As long as I say," Alice glared. "You know, if you weren't off gallivanting with your boyfriend all the time this would have been done ages ago."

"Be nice, Alice," Mom said, never even looking up from her magazine. Alice held up a towel and told me to undress.

"She's right," Rosalie defended. "You really should be spending less time with him."

"And how much time does Edward spend with Bella?" I countered. "He almost died, Rose."

"Girls, enough," Mom warned, this time looking up. Rosalie went back to her magazine.

"How is Jacob, dear?" Mom asked. I looked at her wide-eyed. Was she trying to start a fight?

"He's good," then I laughed remembering the escapade from earlier.

"What's so funny?" Alice grunted, trying to help me into my dress.

"Charlie caught us earlier," I smiled. Alice looked horrified.

"Caught you doing what?"

"Making out," I stole a glance at her. She was just shaking her head.

"You're so innocent," Alice laughed. Rosalie and Mom laughed as well.

"You all are gross," I pointed, then dropped the subject. The last thing I needed to think of was what my sisters and – oh my God – my _mother_ did in their spare time.

"What do you want me to do with your hair?" Rosalie asked.

"Make me pretty?" I suggested, Alice gently smacked me.

"You _are_ pretty," She reprimanded. I smiled.

"It's a joke. I have no idea. I don't want it all up," I explained.

"Okay, I'll figure something out," Rosalie said, switching magazines.

"How does that feel?" Alice asked, pulling on the dress. It was lavender, just like what my sisters were wearing. We were all going to be bridesmaids.

"It feels perfect, actually," I admired. Not too tight, but not loose either. The fabric was perfect.

"Good, now try not to rip it when you're shredding the dance floor tomorrow night," Alice joked. I shrugged. I couldn't help myself. I was a dancer at heart.

As soon as I got out of my dress and was back in normal clothes, I asked if I could be released. Alice nodded and I escaped while I still could.

* * *

I went downstairs to find Jasper, Emmett, and Eleazar huddled over a map.

"Hey Eleazar!" I called to him. I didn't hear them come in.

"Hello, Danielle," he smiled, pulling me into a hug. "How are you?"

"I'm well, where are the girls?" I asked. Usually Carmen didn't leave his side.

"Behind you, mira," I heard a familiar Spanish accent sneak up behind me. I turned and there was Carmen.

"I hate it when you guys do that," I grumbled, but accepted Carmen's embrace all the same.

"I know, but it's so fun," another bubble gum voice perked up.

"Hey, Tanya," I said, and instead of saying hi to everyone, I just went around the circle and hugged them all.

"Where's Irina? Is she going to sneak up on me, too?" I asked. I knew she wasn't too thrilled about our alliance with the wolves, but I did miss her.

"She won't be here until tomorrow, sweetheart," Dad said, coming down the stairs. "Hello, ladies," Dad greeted our guests. I went back to where the boys were.

"Whatcha doin?" I asked, being my usual obnoxious self.

"Planning out Eddie's bachelor party – no girls allowed," Emmett answered. I rolled my eyes.

"Do you seriously think Edward is going to let you take him out tonight?" I inquired.

"We're not giving him a choice," Jasper schemed. I didn't want to know what that meant.

"Who's going?"

"Why don't you go see if Alice needs to run any more errands before tomorrow, darlin'?" Jasper suggested. Rather, he insisted. They clearly didn't want me around for whatever they were planning.

"Fine," I groaned, but instead of going to ask Alice if she needed any more help I just retreated to my bedroom. I thought about whether or not Jake and I would ever get married. We were going to be together forever, but I was unsure if we would ever have a formal ceremony. If we did, we would need to wait until I was older anyways. Jake looked like he was almost thirty and I still needed to finish high school. Still, it couldn't hurt to plan ahead. I walked to Alice's room.

"They're on the shelf," Alice pointed out before I even had to ask. She was smiling. "Let me know if you need anything," she added. I nodded and walked back out.

I grabbed an old binder off my desk and took out all of the papers. I used some scrapbook stickers that I had and started to write out Mrs. Danielle Black on the cover. Bella may not have asked for a Cinderella wedding, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew that that was exactly what I wanted.

 **A/N: This is it! We have made it to Breaking Dawn! I can't believe this is the last leg of this journey! As you can probably imagine, there is going to be more differences in Breaking Dawn then there has been in the other books. I am going to do my best to keep it as close to the original story as possible, but there is definitely going to be more creative interpretations here. I look forward to seeing how the rest of this plays out! Thank you all for your support and enjoy!**


	61. Hey Brother

HEY BROTHER

By the time I woke up, the house smelt like a garden and Bella was arguing with Alice. I stretched, found the strength to get out of bed, and wandered into Alice's room to see what was going on.

"Hey Bella," I yawned. She glared at me.

"Save me," she whined. Alice glared at her, then turned on me.

"You should have been up ages ago, Dani. You're such a bear in the morning," Alice complained. I waved her off.

"I'll be ready, I promise. Rosalie's on top of it," I promised. Alice pointed.

"You better have your hair and makeup done and be ready to put on your dress at 3:00," Alice warned. I nodded.

"I will be!" I defended before leaving the room, sneaking a quick apology to Bella on the way out.

"Don't go in there," I warned Jasper before walking downstairs. The living room had been transformed into a reception area with a bar. There were high-top tables decorated in white tablecloths. The couch, television, and various other living room furniture was nowhere to be seen.

"Do we have food in the kitchen or did that get eradicated as well?" I asked, knowing someone would hear me even if they weren't in the room. Mom came in from outside immediately.

"Good morning, sweetheart," she smiled, "I take it you're hungry?"

"Good morning and yes," I answered her.

"I think you're limited to cereal this morning, unfortunately," she said, playing with my hair. I shrugged.

"That's fine," I didn't need to have a home cooked breakfast every morning. "I can make it, if you are busy doing something else," I offered.

"Nonsense, I can take care of it," Mom assured. She started making the bowl of cereal and I sat at the "bar."

"Try not to make a mess," she warned, handing me the bowl of cereal. One of the perks of being the only person who ate food in this house was that the only food we had was stuff I'd eat.

"I wouldn't dare," I responded, wide eyed. I couldn't imagine what Alice would do if I spilt milk on her creation.

"Are you excited for this afternoon?" Mom asked me while I was eating. I nodded. I was nervous, but I was glad Edward and Bella were tying the knot. They had been through so much, and I knew how important this was for Edward.

"It'll be weird having people from school here, though," I mentioned. It was something I thought about.

"We had your peers here for graduation and that worked out fine, right?" Mom questioned. I shrugged.

"I guess so. We just didn't have so many vampires around then," I pointed out. Mom sighed.

"It will be okay," she patted my shoulder before going back upstairs.

When I was done with my breakfast, I put the bowl in the dishwasher and found my way to the piano. Unsurprisingly, Alice had decorated that as well.

I sat down and just played from my heart. It had been a long time since I had played, and it felt good to let everything out. Edward was the one who taught me how to play and when he disappeared last fall, it didn't seem right playing without him around. I was so preoccupied with Jacob when we got back that I simply haven't had the time to play.

"That's beautiful, Dani," Edward said from behind me.

"You're not supposed to be here!" I gasped, turning around.

"I'm not supposed to see Bella, I can be in my own house," Edward defended. "Shouldn't you be getting ready, anyways?"

That's when I realized Edward was already in his tuxedo. Everything about him was perfect. I, however, had yet to become perfect.

"What time is it?" I asked him. He pointed to the clock on the wall.

"2:15," he answered. _Oh shit_ , I thought, and left him in the dust when I ran upstairs.

"You're lucky I like you, kid," Alice said, seeing me rush into the bathroom.

"You're vampires you should be able to get me dress-ready in 45 minutes," I complained, grabbing a towel and starting the shower.

I was in and out in record time, and the rest of the family knew that. I brushed my hair, threw on my undergarments and a robe, and hurried into Alice's room where Rosalie was waiting for me.

"Where's Bella?" I asked her.

"With Alice and her parents," Rosalie answered. She was also already perfect. _Shit._

"You're fine, sweetie," Rosalie said, blow drying my hair. "There is more than enough time. You'll be ready."

"Tell that to Alice," I muttered. If I wasn't ready, she'd never let me forget.

"I will personally make sure you are ready," Rosalie smiled. My hair was almost dry, which was the part one of what would take the longest. Once my hair was curled, the rest would be easy. Rosalie could do that in no time.

"It's 2:45, how are we doing?" Alice came rushing in. Rosalie had finished my hair and was onto my makeup. Like I predicted, things were moving quickly now.

"Almost done," Rosalie smiled. I was facing away from the mirror so that I couldn't peek. Rosalie caught me trying and put an end to that quickly.

"It looks wonderful, Rose," Alice smiled. It made me feel a little better.

"Alright, you're all set missy. Go put your dress on and then you can see the finished product," Rosalie instructed. I stared at her.

"I'm a product now?" I shook my head.

"You're my creation, so yes," Rosalie winked. "Go get dressed before Alice has an excuse to yell at you!" She shooed me.

I walked into Alice's closet and found my dress. Like my sisters, it was lavender. It was a Bari Jay designer dress (per Alice's request) that had a sweetheart neckline with a high neck sheer lace overlay. There was a narrow key hole slit in the back and a chiffon A-line skirt that flowed down my legs. Alice had taken a lot of care to make sure that it fit perfectly and I was glad that we had made it work in such a short amount of time.

I came out and Alice and Rosalie had a mirror waiting for me.

"Damn," I said, looking at the girl in the mirror. I hardly recognized her.

"You look incredible, Dani," Alice smiled.

"The boys are going to go crazy," Rosalie added. Alice nodded in agreement.

"Mom's going to cry," I said. She would do that thing that she does when she thinks I'm getting too old. She would grab my hand and just hold it for a while until she felt sure of herself again.

"Alright, speaking of crying, it's time to go!" Alice said. Rosalie nodded and headed downstairs. She would be playing the music since Edward was the one getting married.

"Bella you look beautiful," I hugged her. She looked like a princess.

"It's nothing compared to you guys," I shook my head.

"This is your day, not ours. They had their turn and I'll have mine. Today everyone's eyes are on you, Bells," I promised her. Charlie nodded.

"Focus Bella," Alice said, noticing that she was freaking out. "Edward is waiting for you down there," Bella nodded and took a deep breath. I squeezed her shoulder.

We heard the music changed and Alice and I looked at each other quickly before looking back at Bella.

"Looks like we're up to bat," Charlie nudged Bella.

"Bella?" Alice asked, making sure Bella had a hold of herself.

"Right, Edward, okay," Bella nodded. We walked towards the stairwell, and the music got louder. _I_ was starting to freak out now.

"Dani, it's your turn, you can go when you're ready. You're going to stand opposite of Emmett. I'll be right behind you," Alice instructed. I nodded. Holy shit, this was happening.

I walked down the staircase and tried to focus on the smell of the flowers instead of the people in front of me. I was a performer for God's sake. Being in front of people shouldn't be this big of a deal.

 _Look up_ , I reminded myself once I got to the bottom of the stairs. _They didn't come here to see you stare at your feet like an idiot._ I looked up and instantly locked eyes with Edward. He nodded as if to say that I could do this. I believed him.

As I walked, I saw many familiar faces. I saw friends from school as well as my cousins. Most importantly, I saw Jacob. He gave me a wink when I walked past, and that was all the strength I needed to make it to where I was supposed to stand. Within seconds Alice was beside me. She grabbed my hand and quickly squeezed before letting it go.

 _You did it, Danielle_ , I told myself.

The music changed again and we saw Bella walk down the stairs. She looked absolutely gorgeous. I could tell she was incredibly nervous, but then again, most brides were. She was holding onto Charlie's arm as if her life depended on it. I could feel the room relax when she finally made it next to Edward. It was smooth sailing from then on out.

Charlie took Bella's hand and placed it in Edward's, and everything felt right. Mr. Webber took a quick second to gather himself and allow the congregation to sit before addressing everyone.

"Ladies and Gentlemen we are gathered here on this glorious day to witness the union of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan," he greeted. Then, he turned to Edward.

"Please repeat after me," he instructed, and Edward recited his vows to Bella.

"I, Edward Cullen, take you Bella Swan, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live."

"Bella Swan, please repeat after me," Mr. Webber instructed once Edward was done, and Bella repeated the same vows.

Once they had recited their vows, Mr. Webber asked if they took each other to be husband and wife. I couldn't help but look at Jacob when Mr. Webber said this, and I knew he was feeling the same way because he was looking at me too. I had to wipe tears from my eyes.

"I do," Bella choked out. She was crying too.

"I do," Edward vowed, then he whispered something to Bella that I didn't quite catch. I wasn't sure that I wanted to.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," Mr. Webber announced, smiling. "You may now kiss the bride!"

The congregation laughed when Edward's hands reached up to cradle Bella's face and they kissed. If Bella had her way, the kiss never would have ended. It wasn't until everyone felt as awkward as possible that Edward pulled away.

Everyone began to clap, and Edward turned Bella so that they could face everyone. Bella couldn't take her eyes off of her new husband. Rosalie began to play the music again, and Alice nudged me to start walking. Emmett took my arm and escorted me to the back. Alice and Jasper followed, and finally, Bella and Edward.

As soon as they reached the back I raced towards my brother so that I could be the first to hug him. He seemed to have been in tune with my thoughts because he reached me before I could find myself. He pulled me into his arms and I squeezed him as tight as I could.

"I'm so proud of you," I whispered in his ear.

"I know," He nodded.

"I love you, big brother," I pulled away, reaching up to wipe a tear.

"I love you too, little sister," he smiled, beating me to it. "I'll always wipe your tears away for you."

 **A/N: Yay weddings! Okay, so a few things with this chapter. First and foremost, I copied the book's version of the wedding where they are inside the house. Second, I took the vows from the movie since the book doesn't specify what vows they use. Third, I know some of you might be interested in seeing a visual of what Dani's dress looked like, so I went dress hunting for you! The link is on my profile :) I hope you enjoyed the chapter and get ready for some vampire-sized drama coming up!**


	62. The Reception

THE RECEPTION

Once people had found their way outside, I found my way to Jacob Black.

"Hey beautiful," Jake smiled when he saw me. He was waiting alongside Billy, Sue, and Seth, the only other members of La Push who had braved the vampire wedding.

"Thank you all so much for coming, I know it means a lot to Bella and Edward," I told them.

"Well, I think we're going to go congratulate the lucky couple and leave you two to talk," Seth smiled, punching Jake in the shoulder. Jake laughed and shook his head.

"Shut up," he mumbled. I looked up at him once everyone cleared out.

"What's up?" I asked him, putting my arms around his neck. He shrugged.

"Are you okay?" I asked. I knew that being here would be hard for him, but I never wanted him to be upset.

"I'm fine now that you're here," he smiled, spinning me around.

"Alice is going to kill us if she sees us dance before Bella and Edward," I warned him. I could barely hear the music, but still.

"Let her," Jake grumbled.

"Jake," I warned him.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm just…off today."

"I'm sorry for making you come, then," I pulled away from him. He didn't let go, though.

"Hey, don't get upset, it's not your fault," he rubbed my arm. "I'm sorry."

"I just wish I could make this easier for you," I told him. "I know you still love her," I admitted.

"It's not about that," Jake said, running his fingers through my hair. "It's just…never mind."

"What, Jake? You can tell me," I practically begged him.

"If I tell you, I'm going to hurt you," he said. Now, I was afraid. "You don't need to hear it. It's my own problem."

"It's because he's a vampire isn't it?" Realization dawned on me. Of course he wouldn't approve of that.

"Yes, but let me explain!" He begged, grabbing my shoulders before I could walk away. I shook my head.

"He's my brother, and this is _his_ wedding. Bella and Edward are about to have their first dance together as husband and wife whether you like it or not. I know you think he's some sort of monster, but he's my brother, I love him, and he deserves happiness just like anyone else. Whatever else you have to say is irrelevant, because I don't want to hear it," I told him, almost in tears.

"I know," he groaned, "I know, and I've been trying, Danielle. You don't understand!" He yelled. The vampires in the group started to look over. Alice and Jasper started to walk over.

"Quiet down," I warned Jacob. "If you want to leave, leave. If you stay, you need to get over your prejudice towards vampires. You are not going to ruin this wedding, Jacob Black."

Jasper came to stand beside me and Alice grabbed my hand.

"It's time for cake," Alice mentioned, trying to be joyful, but I didn't miss the warning look she shot at Jake.

"Come on, Jake," I held out my other hand. He shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Danielle," he said, walking away. I almost fell over.

"It's okay, sweetie," Alice squeezed my hand. "Let's go." Jasper rubbed my back as we walked away.

"I'm sorry, I just need a minute," I said, releasing my sister's hand and escaping my brother as I walked up to my room, skirting by as many guests as possible. I knew no one would bother me for a little bit, Alice wouldn't let them. She would give me the time I needed.

I got up to my room and looked at my phone. There were no missed calls, but there was a text message from Jake.

"I love you," it said. I turned my phone off and stuck it in a drawer.

* * *

"Hey sweetie," Rose whispered from the door. "Alice sent me up here, she said you might need some help re-doing your make-up," she smiled.

"That would be great, Rose, thank you," I moved from my bed to the vanity. Rose quickly washed my face and touched up my make-up, making it look like I hadn't spent the last hour crying."

"Are people asking about me?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"Mom and Dad are busy entertaining, and most eyes are on Bella," Rosalie promised. I nodded.

"Does Edward know?" I asked, tears forming again. Rosalie wiped them away.

"Yeah, he knows, sweetie. He wouldn't want you to worry about him, though," she said. "Are you ready to go back?"

"I think so," I nodded. "I didn't miss the dance, did I?"

"Not yet, but you will if you don't get your butt out there," Rosalie smiled, holding her hand out.

"Ha ha you said 'butt'," I joked, getting up. She rolled her eyes.

"You're a child!" she called behind me, I just laughed.

I got outside and looked around to see if I could find my parents. It was worse than a game of "Where's Waldo?" out there. Eventually, I settled for standing next to Tanya and company.

"Hola mija," Carmen said, pulling me into a hug. "I was wondering where you were hiding."

"Just causing trouble," I smiled, leaning my head on her shoulder.

"Per usual then, little cousin?" Tanya laughed. I nodded.

"Bella looks beautiful, Alice did a great job," Kate commented.

"She had so much fun," I told her. _A little_ too _much fun_ , I added. Carmen shushed us and pointed to the dance floor.

Edward was leading Bella out and eventually he started to swirl her around. I didn't think they had rehearsed, but it looked like they could have. Edward knew what he was doing.

After their song was finished, Edward and Bella broke apart and brought their parents to the dance floor. Edward and Mom skated around the dance floor like they were on ice, while Charlie and Bella looked like they were at a Middle School dance – only moving side to side. To an outsider it looked awfully unfair to have them dance next to each other, and as an insider I didn't completely disagree.

I was surprised when after a few moments Tyler came and asked me to dance. I didn't even know he was here.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Crashing your party," he smiled, turning me around. "Mike was invited and needed a plus one," he joked.

"That's gross," I laughed. "How was your summer?"

"It would have been better if you were around," he admitted. "We miss you."

"I know, it's been crazy," I lied. The truth was, I didn't want to be anywhere but with Jacob. After almost losing him…never mind. I didn't want to think about that right now.

"Are you and Ronna still together?" I changed the subject. He nodded.

"Yeah, we're good," he said. "I think she's going to take Bella's shifts at the shop now."

"You're already trying to sell her on the family business? I thought she hated camping?" I asked him, twirling around again. For two humans, we were doing okay.

"She does, but I'll convert her eventually," he declared. We danced for a little while then, reminiscing about the old days. We even talked about Andrew a little bit, but it wasn't long before Edward was coming over.

"Do you mind if I cut in?" he asked Tyler. Tyler shrugged.

"No problem," he handed me off. "Don't be a stranger, Dani," he pointed before walking away to pick some other poor soul to dance with.

"He's a good kid," Edward mentioned. "Unlike his brother."

"What did Mike do to piss you off now?" I asked him.

"He has a dirty mind," he grumbled.

"Oh boy, say no more," I giggled, knowing exactly what my brother was talking about.

Edward twirled me around a bit. It was very easy for me to dance with him. I created the choreography in my head and Edward read my mind and led me in that direction. There was no explanation necessary. He was gentle with his movements, and it was a nice moment between us.

Until it wasn't.

I could feel Edward stiffen and I knew something was wrong. I didn't have time to ask him because he swirled me into Jasper, who pulled me in close and kept a tight grip.

"Jasper, what's going on?" I panicked. I could feel Jasper calming me, but it only made me angry.

"Jasper, stop it and just tell me what's wrong!" I told him. I looked around and saw Seth running towards the woods.

"Jasper, let me go," I told him softly. I could still feel him trying to calm me.

"I can't do that, darlin', it's going to be okay. We need to keep an appearance so I need you to calm down," he explained. "There are a lot of people here who don't know what is going on."

In other words, this was a supernatural issue. If the whole Cullen family evacuated the humans would know something was up. It would cause a mass panic. I didn't know if it was Jasper or my own reasoning that finally made me relax. Jasper didn't release his grip on me.

"I'm not going to run," I told him. He didn't believe me, and I didn't blame him.

"Edward has it under control, they'll be back soon anyways," Jasper grimaced when he realized he had said too much.

"Who is they?" I narrowed.

"You never stop worrying, do you?" He sighed.

"Not when you lie to me," I fired back at him. His eyes widened.

"You didn't need to see that," Edward stepped in. "Thank you, Jasper," he said as Jasper went back to find Alice.

"I hate it when you make decisions like that for me," I told him.

"I know," he smirked, twirling me around. "You don't need to take it out on Jasper, though."

"I'll take it out on whomever I want, all of you do it," I argued. "You're all guilty."

"I suppose so," Edward mused. "You know that it's only because we love you, right?" I looked down at my feet.

"Hey, look at me," he pulled my face back up. We kept dancing, but it was less technical now. I was about to get a lecture.

"That's right," Edward answered my thoughts. "There is so much about this world that even you don't understand, and there is so much that you don't need to worry about. I wish that we could protect you from even more, but you're too stubborn for your own good. So, when we tell you we can handle it, or we tell you that you don't need to think about it, you don't. We're not doing it to be cruel, or to lie to you, it's just a vampire problem, and not a human problem."

"That's the problem," I complained. "I'm a Cullen, but it doesn't feel that way when you sneak around me like that."

"You are a Cullen, but you are _not_ a vampire. There are things that we deal with that I hope you will never have to. You are just as much a part of this family as we are, but you are only a human," Edward explained.

"So because I'm weak, I don't get to know the truth. Great, thanks," I mumbled, pulling away. Edward twirled me into him.

"You are weak. However," he defended before I could get mad, "you are so much stronger than us in so many ways."

"You're just saying that so I don't get mad at you," I poked him.

"I'm saying that because I think that in this world where you feel so small, you don't realize how big a part of it you are," Edward resolved. We saw Dad start to walk over, and Edward smiled.

"I cannot believe you haven't danced with your own father yet," Edward chided. I rolled my eyes.

"If someone hadn't been hogging me all night, maybe I would have," I joked back, smiling at Dad when he finally came over.

"May I?" He asked Edward, and Edward handed me over to him.

"You never stop dancing, do you?" Dad asked me. I shook my head.

"Never," I confirmed. "I knew how to dance before I could walk."

"I'd believe that," he smiled. "You should call Jacob."

"Dad," I complained. I didn't want to talk about it.

"I'm your father, I can tell when you won't let something go. You won't be able to truly enjoy yourself until you call him and figure out whatever happened between you two."

"You're such a wise old man," I teased.

"I am wise, and I am old, so I presume that works," we both laughed. He dropped the subject after that.

* * *

Soon enough, the night was over and Edward and Bella were saying their last goodbyes before heading off on their honeymoon. Alice had refused to tell me where they were going, not because it was another family secret, but because she knew I wouldn't be able to keep it from Bella. She promised that she would tell me once the happy couple had left.

All of the guests made their way to the front of the house where Edward and Bella waited by the door. They had one final kiss, and then came my favorite part, where I got to throw rice at my brother. I stood next to Emmett and he made sure I had been able to hit the lucky groom. I'm sure that I won't be able to live that down for a while, and I'd be getting an angry text from the car.

As soon as the car had left, guests filed out. I said goodbye to some of my friends from school, but not necessarily our other guests. I raced upstairs as fast as I could and finally released my feet from the vicious talons of my shoes. I showered and got out of my dress and put on sweatpants. By that time, everyone had left. That's when I decided to make my phone call. Unfortunately, Jake didn't answer, so I left him a voice message.

"Hey Jake, it's me. I…um…I really want to talk about tonight. I'm sorry I got so worked up. I missed you. Please call me back. I love you, bye."

I slept with the phone next to my pillow that night.


	63. Luckiest Girl in the World

LUCKIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD

 _We were fighting. I remember the yelling and screaming – soon followed by the painful cries coming from my mouth. They were coming for us, and he had to go. I wanted him to come with us, but he couldn't leave them behind. My heart was breaking._

 _A door slammed, without so much as a goodbye, and I saw a wolf run out into the distance. It was still raining._

 _I went up to get my daughter, tears were still flowing down my face. She had her eyes closed, she must be sleeping._

 _"You are so loved, my angel," I told her. My mom used to call me her angel, before they had to leave. She would have known what to do right now. I wished I could call her._

 _"It is safe now, you can go to sleep, my love," I promised my daughter. She would always be safe. From vampires, from werewolves, from everything. I owed her that much for bringing her into this cruel world._

 _The storm was getting worse. If we were going to leave, we would have to go soon. The thunder was loud and I jumped every time it crashed. It reminded me of_ him _. I packed the car._

 _I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure he wouldn't come back. To see if he_ would _come back._

 _Finally, the car was packed and I looked and there she was standing. My beautiful child. My child who didn't deserve this life._

 _"We need to go away for a while, my love," I told her. "I packed your bag while you were sleeping. Why don't you grab something to eat and go wait in the car. I know it's scary outside, but it's a good thing, I promise. We need the rain," I told her. The rain would hide our scent. Not by much, but by enough._

 _I was not afraid for myself. I was afraid for my family who was somewhere I couldn't know. I was afraid for my husband who was going to fight my enemies in a battle he didn't ask for. I was afraid for my daughter, who knew nothing about this world, but would be killed anyways if they found us._

 _I was crying again. I heard a crash of thunder and my daughter started screaming again. I raced out to see her. She was okay. I looked to see if I could see any of them. I couldn't._

 _We drove down the long highway. She asked where he was. I had to lie to her. Again. The highway was barely visible behind the sea of water flowing from the sky. I kept checking the rearview mirror. No one was following us. Not yet._

 _Finally, she fell asleep. That was when I turned and drove the car off the cliff._

 _They would not take us._

"Your super sexy boyfriend is calling you! Answer the phone! Your super sexy boyfriend is calling you! Answer the phone!"

"What the fuck?" I groggily rolled over and saw my phone light up. It was Jacob. It was also 3:00 in the morning.

"Hello?" I grunted. I sounded like an old man.

"Hey, I'm so sorry, I didn't want to wake you, but I just got your voicemail and I needed to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine, Jake," I sat up. "Are you okay? They wouldn't tell me why you ran off, only that it wasn't my fault."

"You thought it was _your_ fault? Babe, it had quite literally _nothing_ to do with you for once," Jake promised.

"Then what was it about?" I asked him.

"Bella," he sighed. "I got in a fight with Bella."

"When?" I didn't even know he talked to Bella.

"I came back to apologize to you, and to try and be a good sport, but Bella spotted me first. You were dancing with Edward. Things got heated and I almost phased and I had to get out of there," Jake confessed.

"That's why they didn't want me to go see what was going on," I realized. "They know I would have protected you."

"And you would have gotten hurt in the process," Jake said. "For once I agree with them. I've got to learn how to calm down, I'm sorry."

"It's not me you need to apologize to," I told him. "You're still new to this, you'll get better."

"Sure, I guess. I just don't want to scare you off," He moped.

"I grew up with vampires," I told him. "You couldn't scare me if you tried."

"Is that a challenge?" I heard his grin. I giggled.

"I think it is," I teased. I sighed.

"I'll let you go back to sleep now, I guess," Jake said. "Now that I know everything is okay."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Jake," I told him. "I love you."

"I love you too," he said, and hung up the phone.

I tossed and turned, remembering my dream. I was glad Edward wasn't home, because if he was, he would have told the others what it was about. By now, he was probably already on the island.

"Are you okay, angel?" My mom knocked on the door.

"Yeah mom, I'm fine," I told her.

"Don't you think I know you better than that?" She said, entering the room. She came and sat on the edge of my bed.

"Bella's going to be a vampire," I told her. She nodded.

"When she's ready, yes."

"I don't want to be a vampire," I told my mom. She sighed.

"That's your choice, and we will defend that."

"I'm going to hurt you all, aren't I?" A tear escaped. She brushed it away.

"Your decision to stay human could never hurt us, sweetheart," Dad said from the doorway.

"I won't be able to see you anymore, right?" They looked at each other before looking back at me.

"That is not something you have to worry about right now," Dad promised, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"They're going to try to kill me, and I'll have to hide. I'll be running for the rest of my life," I panicked. Dad rubbed my back.

"We will do everything in our power to give you the most normal life you can live, it's what we've always done and what we are prepared to do."

"I don't want you to die for me," I cried. Mom pulled me close.

"Hopefully we never have to get to that point," she whispered.

"Is that what your dream was about, angel?" Dad asked. I looked up at him. Of course he knew I was having my weird dreams again.

"Instead of my mom leaving, it was me. I had a daughter, and Jacob was running away. I wanted to call you guys, but I couldn't. They were hunting us," I confessed. It was the first time I had told them about one of my dreams since I was a little kid.

"There is no way we can know what will happen," Dad said after a long time. "What we do know is that you two loving parents, six incredibly over-protective siblings, a boyfriend who loves you more than anything else, and a mother in heaven who is watching over you each and every day."

"I miss her so much," I confessed, and it felt good to say it out loud. My mom smiled.

"I know you do, and it's okay," she said. I needed to hear her say that. I nodded into her and she continued to rub my back.

"Just go to sleep, love," Dad whispered. I felt exhaustion seep over me, and I knew Jasper was nearby. For once, however, I let it happen. Dad was right. I didn't need to worry about the future. I didn't need to worry about anything.

For right now, I was the luckiest girl in the world.


	64. Rachel

RACHEL

Edward and Bella were coming home today. Everyone was on edge, but they wouldn't tell me what was wrong. Dad had tried to get me out of the house for a little while, but Jake was at a Tribal Council meeting and no one else was around. Emmett and Rose were trying to keep me busy, but it didn't stop my mind from racing. At the moment, we were watching a movie that he had found on Netflix.

"Is Bella sick?" I asked, seeing Dad come back from his shift at the hospital with bags full of supplies.

"Not for long, munchkin," he nudged me. I sighed. It wasn't lie anyone was going to tell me anything anyways.

"They're here," I heard Rosalie say as she rushed to the door. Dad came down the stairs and took a quick look at me. He was distracted.

"Why don't you give Bella some space, love," Dad suggested, motioning to my room upstairs. I rolled my eyes. Everyone else can hover, but _I_ have to give her space. I picked up my laptop and headed back upstairs. Dad squeezed my shoulder when I passed him.

I texted Jake when I got to my room. _I miss you xoxo_. He responded back with a kiss emoji. _Miss u 2. Bored af. Wanna grab dinner 2night?_ I shrugged. If they didn't want me around then they wouldn't get me around. _Sure. I'll sneak out ;)._ I knew I wouldn't be able to sneak out the front stairs so I snuck out of my room and into Edward's where the porch was. When Bella came around, he had Jasper and Emmett build stairs to the yard. It would have been a perfect getaway, except I heard shouting as soon as I opened the door.

"It is _her_ choice Edward!" Rosalie yelled. I didn't dare move from where I was. Sooner or later they would know I was listening.

"Look at her! Do you really think something like this won't kill her?" Edward screamed back.

"Back off, Edward, it's not her fault!" Bella chimed in. I couldn't see her, but it was nice to hear her voice. She didn't sound as sick as everyone made her seem.

"All of you enough!" Dad finally called. "Danielle, go back to your room," he said. My eyes widened. I shook my head and came downstairs.

"Holy shit, you're pregnant," I said without thinking. Bella smiled. Edward growled. I grimaced. She was _really_ pregnant and she had only been gone for a few weeks.

"Danielle, do not make me ask you again," Dad asserted.

"I'm going out," I decided. "When you all want to bring me in the loop and make me a part of this family again, let me know. Congratulations, Bella," I gave her a soft smile before walking right out the front door. I heard them protest behind me, but no one stopped me. They had bigger things to worry about.

I rode my bike to the line. It was a lot easier than waiting for a ride or hitchhiking. It helped me blow of some steam, too. I wasn't exactly pissed at my family for not telling me Bella was pregnant, but I wasn't thrilled either. I wasn't a child and I didn't need them to make these kinds of decisions for me. I knew I'd get hell for it later, but I couldn't just stay in my room all day while they pretended I didn't exist.

It was a little over an hour bike ride from my house to Jacob's. I knew their house would be empty since Billy was also on the Tribal Council. I knew a little bit of what responsibilities the pack, particularly Jake and Sam had, but other than that I didn't know. There was a lot about Quileute life that I didn't know. I knew that a lot of the time, they didn't marry outside of the Reservation. Until me, even all of the imprints were from the Reservation, or at least another tribe in the area. Jared and Kim went to school together, Emily was visiting her grandparents on the Reservation when she met Sam, and Claire was visiting Emily when she met Quill. I didn't think much about it, but it was a little strange.

"You look like you just ran a marathon," someone said when I walked inside. I quickly realized it was Paul, but not before I screamed and had a minor heart attack.

"What the heck, Paul?!" I smacked him. "Why the hell are you on Jake's couch?"

"Jake didn't tell you? We're going to be in-laws," he smirked. I wanted to smack him again, but I resisted.

"What the hell does that mean?" I questioned him.

"I imprinted on Rachel," he explained, shoving another handful of pretzels in his mouth.

"Rachel, like Jake's sister Rachel?" I asked. I had never met her before, never mind Paul having enough time to imprint on her.

"Yup, she came home last week from college. Apparently she graduated early. Jake took her down to the beach and I happened to be there. You know how it works. Love at first sight," he made a kissy face. This. _This_ had to be who imprinted on Jake's sister. Then it hit me. His sister was _here_.

"Wait a minute is she..?" I whispered, panicking. I could _not_ meet Jake's sister on my own. No way in hell.

"She went to the store real quick to grab some stuff to make lunch," Paul explained. "You've got some time to figure out what to say."

We heard a car pull up and Paul laughed. "Or not."

"I hate you," I growled at him. He shrugged. I panicked for a second, debating on whether or not it was worth it to run and hide under Jake's bed.

"Babe, let me help with that," Paul ignored me, running over to help Rachel with the groceries.

"Thanks, hun," Rachel smiled and kissed Paul on the cheek. Was this real life?

"Instead of just standing there, would you mind putting these away? I'm sure you know where everything goes," Rachel directed. Woah.

"Sure," I nodded, taking a deep breath. This was about to get weird.

I didn't say much after that, I just put the groceries away. Rachel started helping me once Paul had finished bringing everything in. When everything was done I thought it would be a good time to introduce myself.

"Hi, Rachel, I'm-" I started, but she interrupted me.

"I know who you are," she glared. My eyes went wide. If it weren't for the fact that she was Jake's sister, I would be destroying this bitch right now.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know that we had met before," I corrected myself. I knew that we hadn't, but I was trying to be polite. I think even Paul was put off by Rachel's behavior.

"I've heard enough about you to last for a lifetime. What are you even doing here, I thought you were supposed to be on a honeymoon or something?" _Honeymoon_?

"Jesus, Rachel, that's not Bella," Paul chuckled, finally figuring out what was wrong. He left and went back to plop his ass on the couch. Rachel looked at him, then back at me.

"If you're not Bella then who are you?" She asked.

"I'm Danielle, I'm Jake's girlfriend," I held out my hand and she shook it.

"I am so sorry, I thought you were that other bitch Jake is always talking about, I didn't realize he had another girl in his life already," Rachel tried to apologize. "You don't look like you're from around here, though?" She questioned. Had Jake not told her about me?

"I'm from Forks. We met through Bella, actually," I didn't need to go into much more detail than that. If she thought Bella was a bitch she certainly wouldn't appreciate the fact that she was my sister-in-law.

"Right, of course. Um…wow, I wasn't expecting you, I'm so sorry. Um, Jake isn't home and won't be for a while, but I'd love to stay and chat and get to know you!"

"Sure, yeah, that sounds great. I can help you make lunch if you'd like," I offered. She smiled. "So Jake hasn't told you anything about me?"

"Not a thing, but I'm sure it was for a good reason," she defended. "We can be a little overprotective of our little brother," she admitted.

"You and Rebecca, right?" I remembered. Jake didn't talk about his sisters often, but I knew enough to know their names, thank God.

"That's right. Don't worry, I don't believe you'll be seeing her anytime soon," Rachel laughed. I hesitantly joined her. This was so uncomfortable.

"Right," I nodded. Paul was still on the couch watching TV.

After lunch, and what I considered to be the Quileute Inquisition, Rachel and Paul went to go sit down in the living room. Rachel asked if I wanted to join them, but I told her I was just going to lay down in Jake's room for a little bit. She smiled.

"You're good for him, Dani," she said. "I'm glad I got to meet you."

"Same," I smiled. _Other than being a tad bit psycho, you're alright, Rachel_. I thought to myself. Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if my brothers treated Andrew the same way that Rachel treated 'Bella.' Older siblings were always a little over-protective.

I went and I laid down in Jake's room. It wasn't long before I fell asleep.

 **A/N: I think I wrote ten different versions of this chapter, so I hope you like this one! I do have a snow day today, so you might get another chapter as an added bonus! Have a great day!**


	65. Mr Couch Potato

MR. COUCH POTATO

I woke up a little over an hour later. I walked back out to find that Paul still hadn't left his spot on the sofa.

"You're going to make a great spouse someday, Mr. Couch Potato," I patted him as I walked past and into the kitchen.

"You're lucky you're Jake's girl or I'd throw something at your head for that comment," he grumbled. It was a sight to see. He had chips and crumbs all over him. Jake was not going to be happy.

"Are you going to even try to clean any of this up before Jake gets home?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"The game's on. Rachel said I could crash here as long as I want. I'll clean up when I'm done."

"He's going to kill you," I mentioned. "And if he doesn't, Billy will," I threw in. Nothing.

"Billy's never here," he grumbled again. He had a point.

I looked over to see Jake's truck pull in. Billy wasn't with him, which I was a little surprised about. I know that he had to have been at the meeting. Jake perked right up when he saw me inside.

"Hey, you know, I didn't think you were actually going to sneak out," he smiled and kissed me.

"I can leave if you want," I pointed to the door. He shook his head and pulled me closer.

"Don't you dare," he warned, kissing me again. I chuckled.

"Anyways, I had to keep Mr. Couch Potato happy and meet your sister," I pulled on his shirt. He groaned.

"Of course, I am so sorry you walked into the middle of that, I _really_ didn't think you were going to be over here while she was here," Jake explained.

"So you _were_ trying to hide me from her," I teased.

"I was trying to protect you," he defended. "I'm assuming she gave you an interrogation?"

"Oh, absolutely," I nodded. He chuckled.

"Can you two keep it down? Game's on," Paul yelled from the living room. Jake deadpanned.

"Jeez, Paul, don't you freaking have a home of your own?" Paul grinned and then slowly lifted a Dorito out of the bag and wedged it into his mouth, all in one piece.

"You better've brought those with you," Jake warned.

"Nope," Paul crunched. I shook my head.

"Rachel went grocery shopping earlier," I explained.

"Your sister said to go ahead and help myself to anything I wanted," Paul added. Jake walked over to him, and I followed.  
"Is Rachel here now?" He asked. Paul must have seen something I didn't because the chips were behind his back quickly and he was squaring for a fight.

"Bring it, kid. I don't need Rachel to protect me," Paul challenged. Jake snorted.

"Right, like you wouldn't go crying to her first change." Paul laughed and relaxed into the sofa, dropping his hands.

"I'm not going to go tattle to a girl. If you got in a lucky hit, that would be just between the two of us. And vice versa, right?" It was like Paul forgot that I was here. Jake dropped down into Billy's chair and pulled me over next to him, but didn't let me sit on his lap.

"Right," Jake said. As soon as Paul's eyes had gone back to the TV, I could see why Jake placed me where he did. Jake lunged at Paul and socked him right in the nose. Paul tried to grab him, but Jake danced out of the way before he could find a hold, the Doritos in his hand. Paul groaned.

"Jake!" I scolded him. Jake was laughing. I smacked him on the way by.

"You broke my nose, idiot," Paul complained.

"Just between us, right, Paul?" Jake asked him, bringing him a wet towel back from the kitchen. Paul's nose had been bleeding. Paul repositioned his nose before it could set crooked. He cussed, wincing as he pulled at the cartilage. I had to look away. I was no good with this stuff.

"You are such a pain, Jacob," Paul bitched some more. "I swear, I'd rather hang out with Leah."

"Ouch," Jake sat back down in the chair. This time, he did pull me down on his lap and gave me a kiss. "I bet Leah's really going to love to hear that you want to spend some quality time with her. It'll just warm the cockles of her heart," Jake smirked.

"Cockles?" I mouthed at him. He shrugged.

"You're going to forget I said that," Paul warned again. Jake was always ready to start drama. He wasn't going to let this one go.

"Of course. I'm sure it won't slip out," Jake teased. I shook my head. I was dating a twelve year old.

"Ugh," Paul grunted, laying his head back into the couch. "You're fast kid, I'll give you that," he said, defeated. He turned his attention back to the game. Jake stood up, taking me with him, and walked with me into his bedroom.

"Jake, I swear if your sister comes home and finds us," I trailed off as Jake kissed every inch of my body. He snickered.

"She won't care," he promised, taking his shirt off.

"Jake! Put your shirt back on!" I cried out.

"I never have a shirt on," he shrugged. "If Paul can live on my couch than you and I can make out in my room."

* * *

We were making out pretty hard when Paul switched over to a comedy or something. Needless to say, it was pretty hard to get in the mood when it sounded like an ass was in the living room.

"I'm going to kill him," Jake groaned, getting up off the bed. I threw my shirt back on and followed him.

"Get out of my house," Jake grumbled. Paul didn't listen. "I said, get out of my house!" He yelled louder. He was getting really worked up over this. I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Jake, it's okay. Let's go for a walk," I told him. "It's fine."

"You better be gone by the time I come back," Jake warned. I had to practically shove him out of the house. The last thing any of us needed was another fight.

"Come on, slugger," I told him. I grabbed his hand and squeezed while we walked down to the beach.

"So, how do you like Rachel?" He asked, smirking.

"She's nice…once she knew who I was," I glared at him. He raised his hands.

"I was trying to protect you, I swear."

"She knew about Bella," I mentioned. He sighed.

"She used to make mud pies with Bella," Jake pointed out. I laughed. I couldn't picture Bella making mud pies with anyone.

"Is that how you two met?" I asked him. I had almost forgotten all about Bella. I had been ignoring text messages from Alice all day. I wondered how they were doing.

"Yeah. Billy and Charlie tried to get the girls to be friends. Turns out it was Bella and I who clicked," Jake mused. I squeezed his hand. I knew that he was having a hard time with the two of them being together.

* * *

We walked in silence on the beach for a while, past all of the tourists and into the south crescent. Eventually, Quil came into view and we heard him shouting a constant stream of warnings at Claire.

"Keep out of the water, Claire. C'mon. No, don't. Oh! Nice, kid. Seriously, do you want Emily to yell at me? I'm not bringing you back to the beach again if you don't - Oh yeah? Don't-ugh. You think that's funny, do you? Hah! Who's laughing now, huh?" He had Claire by the ankles and she was giggling her head off. She had a bucket in one hand, and her jeans were drenched. Quil had a huge wet mark down the front of his t-shirt.

"Five bucks on the baby girl," Jake called out when we were close enough.

"Hey, Jake!" Quil called out, and Claire squealed and threw her bucket at Quil's knees. "Down, down!" She demanded.

He set her carefully on her feet and she ran to Jake and I. She wrapped her arms around his leg. "Unca Jay!" She screeched. He lifted her up.

"How's it going, Claire?" She giggled. "You remember Dani, right?"

"Dani!" She yelled again, and reached over to me. Jake passed her over.

"Qwil aaaaawl wet now," she declared.

"I can see that, little monster," I tapped her on the nose. "Where's your mama?"

"Gone, gone, gone," Claire sang, "Cwaire pway wid Qwil aaaawl day. Cwaire nebber gowin home." She let go of me and ran to Quil. He scooped her up and slung her onto his shoulders.

"Sounds like somebody's hit the terrible twos," Jake pointed at the crazy toddler.

"Threes actually," Quil corrected. "You missed the party. Princess theme. She made me wear a crown, and then Emily suggested they all try out her new play makeup on me."

"Wow, I'm really sorry I wasn't around to see that," Jake laughed. I joined him.

"Please tell me there are pictures," I begged.

"Yeah, Emily has pictures," Quil sighed, still trying to keep up with Claire. "Actually, I look pretty hot," he shrugged.

"You're such a patsy," Jake teased, splashing him with some water. Quil shrugged.

"Claire had a great time. That was the point. You'd understand that," he surrendered. I nodded, and Jake did too.

"Does this mean you're going to dress up as a princess for my 18th birthday?" I nudged Jake. He rolled his eyes.

"You wish," he scoffed. Suddenly, Claire squealed on Quil's shoulders and pointed at the ground. "Pity wock, Qwil! For me, for me!"

"Which one, kiddo? The red one?" Quil asked. His innocence when it came to her made my smile grow.

"No wed!" Quil dropped to his knees and Claire screamed and pulled his hair like a horse's reigns.

"This blue one?"

"No, no, no…," the little girl sang, thrilled with her new game. The best part was Quil was having just as much fun as she was. He didn't have that face on that so many of the tourist parents were wearing. The face that begged for nap time. No real parent was ever excited to play their child's games. I sighed and looked up at Jake. I could picture him doing the same thing for me if our ages had been different. The bond of an imprint was stronger than any other bond in the world.

"Aren't you glad you imprinted on me when I was a teenager?" I whispered to him. He nodded.

"This is nothing, I've seen Quil play peek-a-boo for an hour straight," Jake claimed.

"No, no yewwo!" Claire crowed. "Pity wock! Pity wock!" Claire screamed when he didn't offer her another choice. She smacked him on the head with her little fist. "Sorry, Claire-bear. How about this pretty purple one?"

"No," she giggled. "No poopoh!"

"Give me a clue. I'm begging, kid." Claire thought it over. "Gween," she finally said. Quil stared at the rocks, studying them. He picked four rocks in different shades of green, and offered them to her.

"Did I get it?" Quil asked, praying.

"Yay!" She cheered, nearly jumping off of him.

"Which one?" He asked.

"Aaaaawl ob dem!" She cupped her hands and he poured the small rocks into them. She laughed and immediately clunked him on the head with them. He winced theatrically and Jake and I laughed.

"We should get going," Quil told us. Claire was more than occupied with her rocks. We nodded and started walking back up toward the parking lot with them. As we were walking and chatting, Jake and Quil suddenly perked up and turned towards the forest. They looked at each other.

"Dang, that's Sam," Quil said. His hands flew up to touch Claire, as if making sure she was still there. "I don't know where her mom's at!" He realized all of a sudden.

"I can take her, if you want," I offered. Quil and Jake nodded and Quil handed her to me.

"Hey, why don't you take her up to the Clearwaters'?" Jake suggested. "Sue and Billy can keep an eye on her if you need to get going. They might know what's going on, anyways. I'm sorry about dinner!" He called out.

"It's fine," I pecked him on the lips. "I'll call you later. Get going!" I shooed him off. Quil and Jake took off running into the forest, and I was left with a toddler.

"Let's get walking, kiddo," I muttered, and Claire giggled. It's a good thing she was such a cutie.


	66. Love and War

LOVE AND WAR

I dropped Claire off at Sue's and they were more than happy to watch her until her mom got back. I called Alice shortly afterwards.

"Where the hell have you been?" She scolded, picking up within one ring.

"With people who appreciate me," I jabbed. It wasn't fair, but I didn't feel like being fair.

"Dani I really don't have time for your petty attitude," she snapped. It was enough aggression to make me stop. Why was she being such a bitch?

"That answers my question, I guess," I told her and hung up. I was going to ask for a ride home, but it looks like home wasn't where I wanted to be. Almost as soon as I hung up she called back. I didn't answer. My phone kept buzzing. I started to walk back to Jacob's, realizing that there was no way Paul could still be there. Then I remembered that Rachel _would_ be, and I didn't really want to sit there talking to her. I looked down at my buzzing phone again. It was Edward this time. I picked up.

"I don't want you to hang up, I don't know what has been going on, I just know that you should come home," he pleaded. He sounded sad and defeated.

"I don't want to," I told him, knowing it would hurt him. I didn't need to listen to how unimportant I was.

"I wish I had the time to argue with you, because I know you must be hurting right now. Alice filled me in on this morning. I can't apologize, but I just know you should come home," he continued.

"Can Emmett come get me?" I asked. I heard him sigh in relief.

"Yeah, Emmett can come get you," he responded. "I'll see you soon?" He asked, hopeful.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be home soon," I told him. I didn't like how tired he sounded. That must be why they had him call.

* * *

Things were worse than I could have ever imagined. What I didn't see earlier when I left was how sick Bella looked. In fact, there was no way Bella could have been this sick before. She looked like an entirely different person.

Emmett had explained everything in the car ride over. Bella was pregnant with a vampire baby. They didn't know what this meant for Bella or her survival as a human. Edward had rushed her home because he wanted to get rid of it. He thought Bella did too. It turns out, Bella wanted to keep the baby, and now there's a civil war in my house. They didn't want me in the house because they didn't want me to be there for the abortion. I felt awful.

"I'm really sorry, Dad," I told him. I was sitting with him in his office that had become a hospital room. He was gathering more supplies to bring to Bella downstairs. My guilt must have been crippling. "You told me to trust you and I didn't and I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, love," he said, preparing another IV for Bella. He had called out of work indefinitely for a family emergency. He had stocked up on supplies, bringing home anything that Bella might need. That was why he was in and out earlier.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked him. I wished that there was something I could do.

"I understand why you felt the way you did. You don't need to feel guilty, sweetheart," he came and kissed me on the forehead. I could hear the underlying disappointment in his voice. That was the worst part about having such a patient father. He never got mad, he got disappointed. In many ways, this was so much worse.

"I don't know how to be around them, daddy," I confessed. Bella was so sick, and I didn't want to break her. Edward was so sad, and I didn't know how to make him better. Alice was killing herself over trying to see Bella's future, and Jasper was suffocating feeling everyone's emotions. Rosalie was standing guard around Bella, and Emmett was standing guard around Rose. My house was torn and so was I.

"Sweetheart," Dad sighed, pulling me into a hug. "This is where you shine, my love. You are the light in all of us. It's going to be a difficult road, but we need to stay strong for Bella, hm?" My phone started buzzing. It was Jake.

"I'm going to take this," I told Dad. He nodded.

"I love you, little one," he said quietly, kissing me on the forehead once more. I walked out of his office and into my bedroom.

"Hey, I really need to talk to-"

"You could have told me," Jake accused, not giving me a chance to finish my sentence.

"Excuse me?" I scoffed, wondering why the hell he was attacking me.

"When we were talking earlier? You could have told me your bloodsucker of a brother killed her," Jake spat. I was appalled.

"I'm sorry, I thought my loving, kind, and caring boyfriend was calling. I don't think I know who this is!" I shot back at him. "If you find him, let him know that his alter-ego is an absolute ass!"

"Don't you think I have a right to know? What about Charlie? How do you think he feels that he's never going to see his daughter again?" Jake wouldn't stop, and I couldn't hold back the tears. I had a good idea of what he was talking about, but he wouldn't let me speak. "I could fucking kill them, Dani, they broke the treaty. They're lucky the pack is full of leech lovers now because otherwise they'd be fucking dead!"

"Jake stop!" I screamed into the phone. I was sobbing now. Emmett and Jasper were standing in the doorway.

"Is that why you were at my house today? To make sure we didn't know? What the fuck, Dani?"

"If you don't stop yelling I'm going to hang up the phone," I said softly. I could hear him growling on the other side. There was a crash and then silence.

"Jake?" I called. He was gone.

"Jake!" There was nothing.

Jasper came over to me and wrapped me in his arms. I could barely breathe. I knew that they had heard everything. I knew that everyone in the house except for Bella had heard everything. I didn't care. I couldn't breathe.

"Shh….deep breaths darlin'" Jasper coached. I couldn't breathe. He rubbed my back. Emmett left and then quickly came back with a glass of water.

"Drink this, sis," he handed it to me. I was shaking so hard I dropped it.

"It's okay," Jasper whispered, and helped me stand up. I almost fell into his arms. "You've got to get a hold of your breathing or you're going to make yourself sick, hun," he told me. Emmett had already cleaned up the water and stripped the bed. Jasper had me in his lap. Alice was now in the room too.

"I didn't do anything wrong," I cried, finally being able to speak. Jasper nodded.

"I know, it's okay," he soothed. Usually Jasper held his breath, but he was breathing at a normal rate to try and get me to match his. "Give him some time. This came as a surprise to him too."

"What if he doesn't come back?" I panicked. I felt like I was going to throw up, now. Jasper sent me waves of calm.

"Jazz-"

"You need this," he convinced me. I felt myself relax, and as I relaxed, I felt less sick to my stomach.

* * *

Jasper stayed with me for another hour or so after that. Alice came up for a while, too, but was in a lot of pain because of the baby. She couldn't stay long. Mom changed the sheets on my bed and brought me up some food. I wasn't hungry.

"We already have one critical patient in this house, I won't add another," she warned me. I told her I'd settle for a bowl of cereal. I couldn't stomach anything hot right now.

Around 4:00, the doorbell rang. It was a rare occurrence, rare enough for Jasper to leave me on my own for a few minutes to investigate. I got out of bed to eavesdrop.

"Hello, Jacob," Dad greeted. "How are you?" He was a lot calmer than I would expect him to be. He had been with Bella during the fiasco, but he didn't take kindly to people who hurt me.

"I heard Bella made it back alive," I heard Jake say. There was an accusatory tone to his voice. He didn't see her as alive anymore. That was why he told me that Edward killed her. I wanted to stay away from him, but I couldn't resist the urge to go downstairs.

"Jacob, it's not really the best time," Dad tried to explain. "Could we do this later?"

"Jake," I whispered from the top of the stairs. Everyone looked up, including Jacob. I must have looked like hell because Jake's face instantly grimaced.

"If you're here to kill them, you're going to have to kill me too," I told him, coming down the stairs. I tripped a little bit and caught myself, but I didn't miss Jake stepping closer to me in an attempt to catch me.

"I'm not here to kill them, Dani," he croaked. His confidence was completely lost now that I was in the room.

"Then why the hell are you here? To yell at me some more? You've got nerve showing up here right now, Jake," I warned him. I wouldn't stop my brothers from killing him this time.

"I needed to see Bella," he confessed. I knew why he needed to see her, but hearing him say it out loud hurt more than I could ever imagine. He didn't come to apologize, he didn't even come here to see me. He came to see _her._

"Like my dad said, this isn't a good time," I sneered at him before walking over to the couch. Jasper placed a hand on my shoulder and started to calm me again. I leaned into it. It was like a drug at this point.

"Why not?" Bella's voice cracked through the room. "Are we keeping secrets from Jacob, too? What's the point?" There was silence for a few moments before she continued. "Come in, please, Jacob," Bella croaked more loudly.

"Excuse me," Jake said, stepping around Dad. He came into the living room and then stopped, staring at Bella. I saw the realization creep across his face. She wasn't dead, and she certainly wasn't a vampire. She was sick. Very sick.

"Happy now?" I asked him, and he turned to me with apologetic eyes. Bella began to make a gagging sound and Rosalie snatched a basin from the floor and held it under Bella's chin, just in time for Bella to throw up into it. Edward fell to his knees by Bella's side, but Rosalie held out her hand, warning him to keep back.

"Sorry about that," Bella whispered. Edward's head slumped against Bella's knees. I couldn't take this anymore. Jake walked towards Bella, but Rosalie hissed at him before he could get too close.

"Rose, don't," Bella whispered. "It's fine." Rose moved out of the way, but didn't surrender.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Jake whispered. It was the same tone he used on me when I was sick. "Are you alright?"

"I'm so glad you came to see me today, Jacob," she smiled, and it made me want to smack her. Edward glared at me. _I'm sorry_ , I looked down. _That wasn't fair._

"What is it, Bella?" Jake insisted, holding her hands. Bella glanced around the room before turning to Rosalie.

"Help me up, Rose?" she asked. "Please?" Rose helped her, and it made everyone in the room cringe.

"No," Jake whispered, "Don't get up…" he trailed.

"I'm answering your question," Bella snapped. Bella looked awful. I had to turn away. I could tell the moment Jake realized what happened. Edward could too.

"Outside, Jacob," he snarled. Jake was immediately on his feet, looking down at him. He was ready for a fight.

"Let's do this," Jake agreed. Emmett and Jasper flanked Edward, and I stood up quickly. This wasn't happening.

"No," Bella gasped, and stumbled forward to clutch at Edward's arm. Rosalie moved with her, as if she was chained to her.

"Please don't fight," I echoed Bella's plea. "I don't want you two to fight."

"I just need to talk to him," Edward promised me, then turned to Bella. "Don't strain yourself. Please rest. We'll both be back in just a few minutes."

"Behave," I warned them. I was rocking back and forth. So much for staying calm. I could tell everyone else was tense, too. This was awful.

* * *

It felt like ages of waiting before they came back. As soon as they did, I couldn't help but run into Jake's arms. He closed them around me and pulled me close. He looked as distraught as everyone else did. This was hard on everyone. Edward nodded at Jake and then looked at me. Jake pulled me aside into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he apologized, rubbing his hands up and down my arms. "Are you okay?"

"I've been thinking a lot, Jacob," I told him. "About Quil, and Claire and the rocks on the beach."

"What about them?" He asked, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"He doesn't wish for naptime. He exists to please her and to make her feel special. He could _never_ hurt her, even if he wanted to," I explained. Jake sighed, knowing where this was going. "She's his imprint, and he would do anything to make her happy."

"Dani-" he started, but I put my hand on his chest.

"Let me finish, please," I stopped him. "If I'm truly your imprint, then shouldn't it be the same for us? Shouldn't it be impossible for you to hurt me like that? Why are you able to keep hurting me?" I started crying again. I tried to wipe a few tears before Jake could notice, but he was too quick.

"I don't know," Jake started. "I've talked to Sam about it. I've talked to Sam about whether or not I should walk away. I tried that though, and I couldn't stay away. Neither of us could. Even tonight, you came running into my arms," his voice cracked. "I shouldn't be able to hurt you. It hurts _me_ when I hurt you," he explained. "Yet, I keep doing it."

"What did Sam say?" I questioned.

"He says it's because the only thing stronger than my love for you is my instinctual hatred and desire to protect humans from vampires. Think about it, Dani, the only time you and I have fought is over them. It's the only way I can hurt you, is through them. It's the fine print of imprinting, I guess. No other imprint is this close to vampires. No other imprint would ever be this close to vampires. You're the exception, and that's what makes this so hard."

"It's why I keep forgiving you," I realized. The imprint bond was stronger than the pain I felt. I couldn't live without him, so I have to live with him and his anger.

"I'm not trying to make excuses, Dani," he promised. "I just really want you to understand that I'm not doing this on purpose. You are my imprint and I love you more than I can ever prove to you."

"I know," I smiled, and kissed him on the cheek. "I just sometimes wish we had met in another life," I mused. He nodded.

"I completely understand," he sighed. "Now, you're not going to like this, but I need to talk to Bella. Edward's going to clear out the room. I'm going to talk to Bella, and then I'm going to take you out of here. We're going to go to Port Angeles and have a nice dinner, just like I promised," he kissed me on the forehead. I nodded into his chest.

"That sounds nice," I smiled. "I guess I'll go upstairs and change. I need to make myself decent again," I chuckled.

"You're beautiful," he insisted. "Go," he pushed. I could see other members of my family leaving the living room. Edward knew Jake was on his way back.

I didn't know what this next challenge in our lives was going to entail, but I was more than grateful that I had Jake standing by my side.

 **A/N: You are all so spoiled! I had a snow day today and all of my classes were cancelled, so I just couldn't stop writing. Instead of saving the chapters for a later date, I thought it would be a nice bonus to put them all up for you as I was writing them. Thank you all so much for your support!**


	67. Life's Not Fair

LIFE'S NOT FAIR

"What are they talking about?" I whispered to Edward, who was sitting next to me in the dining room. Dad had gone back up to his office with Rosalie, Jasper went to his room to check on Alice, and Emmett was standing watch with Mom, Edward, and I.

"I asked Jacob to talk to Bella about removing the fetus," Edward confessed. I squeezed his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," I told him. He shook his head.

"It's my fault," He sighed. "I should never have been so careless."

"You always say that," I pointed out. "You always say how careless you are. You're not careless, you're in love. You want to do anything and everything to make her happy. She's sick, but she is so happy, Edward. This baby makes her happy."

"It's not a baby!" Edward shouted, breaking the table with the impact of his hand. I instantly moved back. Jake came rushing in, immediately coming to me.

"It's fine, Jake, it's my fault," I told him, working my way around his defensive pose towards my brother.

"I'm sorry," I carefully approached him. He backed away. _I can talk to her, too._ I confided. He looked up. _I can get her to abort the baby._

"I wish you would stop calling it that," Edward groaned. "It's a monster."

"Not to her, or we wouldn't be in this situation," I insisted. "If I talk to her, and I make this happen, that's what she's going to think of it as, and that's what you're going to have to live with," _That's what you're going to have to call it_ , I continued in my head.

"What did she say, Jacob?" Edward asked him, ignoring me.

"She won't do it," Jake confessed. "Dani's right. It's a baby to her. Part her, part you. She's not willing to give that up."

"Was she upset?" Edward asked. It was so hard to see him this way.

"Yeah, a little bit," Jake said. Edward grimaced and I knew Jake was replaying everything for him. Edward shook his head.

"You're right Dani," Edward acknowledged. "I don't think there's any use for you to talk to her right now, it will just upset her. I'm going to go back," he said. Rosalie and Dad were already back in the living room. I looked over at Jake, he pulled me outside to the back porch.

"This is terrible," I almost cried. He pulled me into a hug.

"I have to go talk to Sam, but I'll come right back," he promised. I nodded.

"Do they want to kill my family?" I asked. Jake hesitated.

"I won't let them," Jake promised. "You're my imprint and they're your family. They won't do anything to endanger you. It's one of the most sacred pack laws."

"Even if my family is vampires?" I asked him. "You said that was the only exception."

"I won't let them hurt you," Jake repeated, kissing me on the forehead.

"Be careful," I begged. He nodded and ran off. I could hear the howling. They were close.

* * *

I stayed outside for a few minutes before my phone buzzed: _Come upstairs._ It was from Alice. I was surprised to get a text from her considering I thought she was pissed at me. I hadn't talked to her since Bella came home.

Before I could even knock, Alice was telling me to come in. She looked about as awful as everyone else.

"I thought you were mad at me," I said from the doorway. She was laying with her laptop in the dark on her and Jasper's futon. They had expanded it to become a bed.

"I was never mad at you, sweetie," she promised, gesturing for me to come join them. "These headaches just have me in a bad mood. I have gotten used to you coming in and out of existence, mostly because I know that you're safe when I can't see you. This _thing_ that is inside Bella however, is much more frustrating. It's the only time I wished I could turn my visions off," she admitted.

"This whole situation sucks," I agreed. Everyone was hurting for one reason or another.

"Anyways," Alice said, turning the mood around. "I know we were supposed to go shopping the other day for new school clothes, but that didn't happen, so I thought you could grab your laptop and we could go online shopping!"

"Of course," I rolled my eyes. "The family is in turmoil, but of course you still find a way to go shopping," I smiled. I got one out of her too, which in turn made Jasper smile a bit.

"I'll go get my laptop," I told them, but before I could do anything, Jasper was handing me my computer.

"Never mind," I chuckled. Oh, Alice.

We spent the next hour or so looking at different outfits. I almost had my whole fall wardrobe picked out when she nearly screamed out in pain, dropping her laptop in the process.

"Alice?" Jasper panicked, placing his hands over hers. "What's wrong?"

"Jasper, Emmett!" I heard Edward call and Jasper raced downstairs, leaving me with Alice.

"I can't see anything, let's go," she pulled me down the stairs with her.

Rosalie hadn't left Bella's side, but Mom and Dad were hunting. I peeked outside and saw two wolves. One of them was Jacob.

"Jake!" I called, but Alice held me back. I was freaking out now.

"Be quiet," she warned. "You don't want to upset Bella." I was still shaken, but Alice was right. We didn't want to freak her out. Seth left and as soon as things looked like they calmed down, Alice released me and I went running through my brothers to Jake. He nuzzled me with apologetic eyes. I just hugged his neck.

"Jacob would you mind switching forms?" Alice asked. "I want to know what's going on." Jake shook his head and Edward answered for him.

"He needs to stay linked to Seth," Edward explained. Seth. That's who the other wolf was.

"Well then can somebody explain what is happening?" I pleaded. Jake nuzzled me again.

"The pack thinks Bella's become a problem," Edward explained in clipped, emotionless sentences. "They foresee potential danger from the…from what she's carrying. They feel it's their duty to remove that danger. Jacob and Seth disbanded from the pack to warn us. The rest are planning to attack tonight."

Alice hissed, leaning away from me. Emmett and Jasper exchanged a glance, and then their eyes ranged across the trees. I was pretty sure I stopped breathing.

"You promised," I whispered to Jake. "You promised no one was going to get hurt." Jake whined.

"You're the exception," Edward translated. I shook my head. This was all wrong. This was so very, very wrong.

"Carlisle and Esme are on their way," Emmett reported, hanging up his phone. "Twenty minutes, tops."

"We should take up a defensive position," Jasper suggested. Edward nodded.

"Let's get inside," he said, "Come on, Dani." I looked at Jake and then back where the boys were standing. Alice rested her hand on my shoulder, and Jake nudged me towards the house.

"Be careful," I told him, kissing his forehead, just like I would if he was in his human form. "And thank you."

Jake nodded, and then faced Edward. Edward nodded and told him "I will." I didn't know what that was a response to.

* * *

Alice pulled me inside. She brought me back up to her room and sat me back down, getting me a glass of water.

"Breathe, Dani," she reminded me. I took a deep breath.

"How's your head now?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood. She shook her head.

"I don't want to think about it," She told me.

"Dani?" I heard Dad ask from the hallway. They were back. I placed the glass down and ran out to see him.

"It's going to be okay, love, we'll figure this out," I nodded into him. I felt him tense before I heard Edward tell everyone it was a false alarm. I followed Dad downstairs into the living room. I tried not to stare at Bella, but it was difficult.

"Seth was upset about something else, and he forgot we were listening for a signal," Edward explained. "He's very young."

"Nice to have toddlers guarding the fort," Emmet grumbled. If the circumstances were different I'd have thrown something at him. I settled for glaring.

"They've done us a great service tonight, Emmett," Dad reprimanded. I nodded. "At great personal sacrifice."

"Yeah, I know," Emmett accepted. "I'm just jealous. Wish I was out there."

"Seth doesn't think Sam will attack now," Edward said mechanically. "Not with us forewarned and lacking two members of the pack."

"What does Jacob think?" Dad inquired. Edward shook his head.

"He's not as optimistic," Edward admitted. I took a deep breath. No one else spoke. Dad walked over to Bella, who managed to sleep through all of this. Rosalie almost bit his head off.

"Don't touch her!" She whispered. "You'll wake her up!"

"Rosalie," Dad murmured.

"Don't start with me, Carlisle. We let you have your way earlier, but that's all we're allowing," she demanded. All Dad wanted was to help Bella. I couldn't take it anymore.

"It's not your baby," I mumbled before I could stop myself. Everyone looked up at me like I had a death wish.

"Excuse me?" Rosalie growled. Emmett held her back.

"There is no 'we.' That's not your baby and it's not your body," I shot at her.

"Dani," Dad warned, but I couldn't stop now. This whole situation was eating at me.

"He's just trying to keep her alive. He's not going to do anything to hurt Bella. That's what this is all for," I gestured to the living-room-turned-hospital scene that was around us. Throughout the day, most of the hospital supplies from Dad's office had been transported down here. Bella had gotten so much worse in one day that she was now on heart monitors and an IV drip. She was in a hospital bed.

"You don't know anything," Rosalie spat at me. Bella choked a little in her uneasy sleep, and both Edward and Rosalie moved in to hover over her. My comments had been forgotten for the moment. Bella's body jerked, and she whimpered. Rosalie smoothed her hand across Bella's forehead. Edward's body stiffened, and he looked pissed. That should have been his job to comfort his wife. Emmett wrenched himself between Edward and Rosalie before there was time to blink.

"Not tonight, Edward. We've got other things to worry about," Emmett told him. Edward went back to pacing around the room, waiting for Jake's call. I rolled my eyes.

"You all are fucking ridiculous," I muttered before storming outside to the back porch and curling up in a ball. They would kill my family, but they would never kill me. Wolf law wouldn't allow it. Life wasn't fucking fair.


	68. Promise

PROMISE

It wasn't long before Mom came to get me.

"You should really come inside," she encouraged. I shook my head.

"I'm waiting for Jacob," I told her.

"He won't be back for a while, sweetie," she said, and then upon realizing that I wasn't going anywhere, sat down next to me and handed me a jacket. "You're stubborn. Just like your mother," she smiled. I looked at her.

"I learned from the best," I sighed, resting my head on her. She chuckled.

"Not me, angel. Nicole," she ran her fingers through my hair. "Edward could tell you so many stories about her. From what I've heard she was a force to be reckoned with."

"Then how'd she end up with my dad?" From what I remembered, he wasn't the nicest guy.

"She was forgiving and gentle. Sound familiar?" I sighed.

"I don't understand how everyone can hate each other so much over a freaking baby," I grumbled.

"It's the age old battle, my dear. It's ultimately Bella's choice, and she wants to keep the baby, so that's what we'll do. We'll make her as comfortable as possible," Mom explained.

"But she's going to die," I cracked. Mom nodded.

"It's unlikely she'll make it out of this alive, but she's a fighter," Mom rubbed my back.

"Edward should have just let her turn when we were in Phoenix," I pointed out.

"Don't you think I haven't thought of that a thousand times?" Edward said from behind me, causing me to have a mini heart attack.

"What are you doing out here?" I scolded him. "You should be with Bella."

"She's sleeping, and Rose won't let me near her anyways," Edward explained, coming to sit next to Mom and I. "Besides, I wanted to check on you."

"I'm fine," I promised. It wasn't a lie. Compared to Bella I was _more_ than fine.

"True, but you're still my baby sister, and you need to take care of yourself," Edward chastised. "Jacob won't be back until the morning. You should get some sleep. Tomorrow is also your first day of senior year," Edward reminded. I went wide eyed.

"You're not serious?" I asked him, then looked at Mom for confirmation. "You're not really going to make me go to school tomorrow?"

"It's important for our image," Edward pointed out. Mom nodded.

"How am I supposed to be able to focus on school when a war could quite literally be breaking out in my back yard?" I countered. I heard the screen door open again. This time, it was Dad.

"I'll make a deal with you," he proposed. Always the mediator. "You can take tomorrow off, but you _will_ be going to school the day after."

"How is that a deal?" I quipped.

"You can see how tomorrow plays out and know that everyone is safe. You can talk to Jacob personally and get whatever information you need. You can talk to Bella. Then, you go back to school and remind yourself what it's like to be a human," Dad hugged me.

"My humanity is the least of everyone's problems right now," I countered. "Shouldn't we stay united? Keep everyone in one place? That type of thing?"

"We've been over this Dani, your humanity is the most important thing. We will have to risk everything else. Now, enough with the arguing. It's bed time for the human," Dad teased. I groaned.

"I'm not a child!" I proclaimed, walking back into the house. Emmett was grinning having heard our conversation. Rose had a sour look on her face.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier, Rose," I whispered, not wanting to wake Bella up. She nodded.

"You're right. I just...never mind, Dani. Someday you'll understand," she sighed. I went up and gave her a hug. I knew her story wasn't a pretty one, and I knew that it was hard for her to remember her human life, despite wanting to be human so badly.

"I'll see you in the morning, bug," Emmett called as I went upstairs. I could hear Rosalie hiss at him. I didn't think I would be getting any sleep tonight, but it was worth a shot.

* * *

He actually rang the doorbell. It was seven o' clock in the morning and he rang the doorbell. Dad beat me to the door, but I followed shortly after.

"Are you all right, Jacob?" Dad asked, and I pushed my way around him and into Jake's arms. He looked at me and back at Dad, confused.  
"Is Bella?" He choked out. Dad sighed, defeated.

"She's…much the same as last night. Did I startle you?" he asked. Jake nodded. "I'm sorry. Edward said you were coming in your human form, and I came out to greet you, as he didn't want to leave her. She's awake," Dad explained.

"You look exhausted, Jake," I ran my fingers through his hair. Even my wolf boy was caught up and hurting in all of this.

"Yeah, well, when there's only three of you, there's a lot more ground to cover," Jake complained.

"Three?" I asked him. There was only him and Seth last night.

"Leah," Jake answered.

"I didn't get a chance to thank you last night, Jacob," Dad told him. "You don't know how much I appreciate your…compassion. I know your goal was to protect Dani, but I owe you the safety of the rest of my family as well. Bella, too, of course. Edward told me what you had to do…" Dad trailed, and I placed my arms around Jacob. Dad didn't understand half of the sacrifice that Jake made. He left behind his brothers for me. He left behind his family and his people so he could protect mine single handed. I didn't deserve him.

"Don't mention it," Jake muttered.

"If you prefer," Dad affirmed. I rested my head on Jake's shoulder. I could honestly fall right back asleep with him here.

"She's family to you?" Jake asked out of nowhere. I looked up at him. Of course Bella was a part of our family, he knew that.

"Yes, Bella is already a daughter to me. A beloved daughter." A pang of jealousy hit when he said that, but I knew that as beloved as Bella was to him, I was equal if not more beloved. He found me and he raised me. He made me who I was. He had more than enough love in the world to spare. I shouldn't be jealous like that.

"But you're going to let her die," Jake accused. I smacked him.

"He's doing his best," I scolded him. "It's not his fault."

"It's a fair point, Danielle," Dad acknowledge. "I can imagine what you think of me for that, Jacob."

"What if it was Dani? Would you make the same decision? If I knocked her up with some mutant creature that was killing her?"

"Jake, stop," I whispered, trying to get him to calm down. This was uncalled for.

"I would do the same thing, even for Danielle. I can't ignore her will. It wouldn't be right to make such a choice for her. To force her," Dad explained.

"Do you think there's any chance she'll make it? I mean, as a vampire and all that. She told me about…about Esme," Jake tried. When did Bella tell Jake about Mom?

"I'd say there's an even chance at this point," Dad answered quietly. "I've seen vampire venom work miracles, but there are conditions that even venom cannot overcome. Her heart is working too hard now. If it should fail…there won't be anything for me to do." I shuddered at the thought. Jake did too.

"What is that thing doing to her?" Jake whispered. "She was so much worse last night. I saw…the tubes and all that. Through the window."

"The fetus isn't compatible with her body. Too strong, for one thing, but she could probably endure that for a while. The bigger problem is that it won't allow her to get the sustenance she needs. Her body is rejecting every form of nutrition. I'm trying to feed her intravenously, but she's just not absorbing it. Everything about her condition is accelerated. I'm watching her – and not just her, but the fetus as well – starve to death by the hour. I can't stop it and I can't slow it down. I can't figure out what it wants," Dad's voice broke on the end. It was the first time I had heard a full explanation of what was going on. It made my heart hurt.

"It's not your fault, Daddy," I told him. He reached out and grabbed my hand.

"I wish I could get a better idea of what exactly it is," Dad murmured. "The fetus is well protected. I haven't been able to produce an ultrasonic image. I doubt there is any way to get a needle through the amniotic sac, but Rosalie won't agree to let me try, in any case."

"Shove her out of the way," I complained. Despite my conversation last night, Rosalie was still getting on my nerves. Dad ignored my comment.

"A needle?" Jake mumbled. "What good would that do?"

"The more I know about the fetus, the better I can estimate what it will be capable of. What I wouldn't give for even a little amniotic fluid. If I knew even the chromosomal count-"

"You're losing me, Doc," Jake interrupted. "Can you dumb it down?" Dad and I both chuckled. I went back to tracing the lines on Jake's arms. This was too much for me to take in.

"Okay, how much Biology have you taken? Did you study chromosomal pairs?" Dad asked.

"Think so. We have twenty-three, right?" I nodded.

"Humans do," Dad corrected. I blinked.

"How many do you have?" I asked him. He smiled.

"Twenty-five." Jake frowned.

"What does that mean?" He asked.

"I thought it meant that humans and vampires were almost completely different. Less related than a lion and a house cat. But this new life, well, it suggests that we're more genetically compatible than I'd thought. I didn't know to warn them," Dad sighed again.

"It might help to know what the count was – whether the fetus was closer to us or to her," Dad continued. "To know what to expect. Then again, maybe it wouldn't help anything. I guess I just wish I had something to study, anything to do. I'm a doctor, I help people, and I solve problems. This is one I can't solve. It's bothersome."

"You've helped so many people, Dad. You helped me," I reminded him. "You solved my problems."

"I know, sweetheart, and I am grateful that I was able to help you," he squeezed my hand. "I just wish I could help her."

"Wonder what my chromosomes are like," Jake mumbled.

"You have twenty-four pairs, Jacob," Dad coughed nervously. Jake turned slowly to stare at him, raising his eyebrows. I buried my head in Jake's neck, laughing. Of _course_ my dad stole Jake's blood to find out his chromosome count.

"I was…curious," Dad confessed. "I took the liberty when I was treating you last June."

"I guess that should piss me off, but I don't really care," Jake shrugged.

"I'm sorry," Dad apologized. "I should have asked."

"It's okay, Dad. You didn't mean any harm," I said, more for Jacob than for my dad.

"No, I promise you that I did not mean you any harm," Dad turned to Jacob. "It's just that…I find your species fascinating. I suppose that the elements of vampiric nature have come to seem commonplace to me over the centuries. Your family's divergence from humanity is much more interesting. Magical, almost."

"Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo," Jake mumbled. I stroked his hair again. Jake and Dad went quiet, like they were listening to something.

"Is everything okay?" I asked. They both nodded. Dad twisted to look at the door and eventually Edward came out, followed by Rosalie.

"Carlisle," Edward murmured.

"What is it, Edward?" Dad stood up.

"Perhaps we've been going about this the wrong way. I was listening to you and Jacob just now, and when you were speaking of what the…fetus wants, Jacob had an interesting thought."

"It better have been appropriate," I warned Jake. He looked just as shocked as I was.

"We haven't actually addressed that angle," Edward went on. "We've been trying to get Bella what she needs. And her body is accepting it about as well as one of ours would. Perhaps we should address the needs of the…fetus first. Maybe if we can satisfy it, we'll be able to help her more effectively." I almost threw up then and there. He wanted to give the baby blood.

"Jesus Christ," I gagged, and Jake tightened his grip on me.

"I'm not following you, Edward," Dad said.

"Think about it, Dad," I groaned. "If the baby is more vampire than human, can' t you guess what it craves? What it isn't getting?"

"Oh," Dad said in a surprised tone. "You think it is…thirsty?"

"Of course," Rosalie muttered, her eyes wide with excitement. "Carlisle, we have all that type O negative laid aside for Bella. It's a good idea," she encouraged.

"I wonder," Dad was lost in his thoughts, "and then…what would be the best way to administer…"

Rosalie shook her head. "We don't have time to be creative. I'd say we should start with the traditional way." I almost gagged again.

"What a minute," Jake whispered, "Just hold on. Are you – are you talking about making Bella drink blood?"

"It was your idea, dog," Rosalie scowled.

"Rosalie!" I yelled at her. Jake put his hand on my shoulder, just like I did to him when he was fighting with someone. A reminder that it wasn't worth it.

"That's just…" Jake trailed off.

"Monstrous? Repulsive?" Edward suggested. "I know you're thinking it too, Dani," he called me out.

"Pretty much," Jake shrugged.

"But what if it helps her?" Edward whispered.

"What are you gonna do? Shove a tube down her throat?" Jake criticized.

"We should ask her," I spoke softly. "If you tell her it might help the baby, she might do it."

"Well, we don't have time to sit around discussing this," Rose said impatiently. "What do you think, Carlisle? Can we try?"

"We? There is no we, Rose," I started. "It's disgusting what you're asking her to do. It's against human nature. There is no 'we.' This is Bella, and you have to make sure she's okay with it." Rosalie hissed, but didn't say anything else. Dad put his hand out, trying to keep the peace.

"We'll ask Bella," he declared, and Rosalie smiled smugly. I rolled my eyes. Everyone started to walk inside, and Jake went to follow, but I pulled him back.

"Everyone is in a tough place right now, don't you dare be mean," I warned him. He just smirked and shook his head.

"This is what I get for falling in love with a vampire girl," he kissed me. I put my finger to his mouth.

"You fell in love with Bella. You _imprinted_ on me," I set the boundaries. "I know it's hard to see her like this, but just remember who you chose, okay?"

"Are you jealous of a dying girl?" Jake tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

"Am I a terrible person for it?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"I love you, Danielle. I love you so much that I threw away everything so that you could be happy. But Bella _is_ dying and she is my best friend. I want you to understand that it doesn't mean I don't love you and I'm not committed to you," Jake promised. He reached into his pocket, then groaned.

"This is such a _shitty_ time for this, but I think you need it," he complained, then grabbed my hand and got down on one knee.

"Jake, what the fuck are you doing!" I almost yelled. He shushed me.

"I don't need your whole family coming out here," he warned. "I was going to give this to you later, but like I said I think you need this now. I love you Danielle, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, however long that ends up being. I have never loved anyone the way I love you and I will never love anyone the way I love you. I want to marry you someday, Danielle. This ring is a promise that I will stand by your side forever and love you. I will be faithful to you. Will you accept this promise ring, Danielle?"

"Holy shit, Jake," I was speechless. I was definitely _not_ expecting this today.

"It's a yes or a no question, Dani," Jake joked, but I could tell he was nervous as hell. As a rule, the wolves couldn't deny the imprint. There was nothing they could do but be attracted to their imprint and make their imprint their world. The imprintee, however, didn't have to accept. We didn't have the same attachment. It was moments like this that put these relationships to the test.

"After everything we've been through and you think I'm going to say no to this? Come on, Jake," I teased. He rolled his eyes.

"Just say yes, would you? I'm losing my mind over here!" He complained. I laughed.

"Yes," I smiled, and he picked me up and swirled me around in the air, kissing me.

"Are you still jealous?" He asked, bringing me back to the ground.

"Not a chance," I smiled, kissing him again. He was forever mine, and now I had the ring to prove it. This was so much better than going to school.


	69. Blood

BLOOD

By the time we walked in, everyone was already busy with Bella. They were flitting across the room with sudden darting motions. Jake stiffened, and I could tell it made him uncomfortable. It took me off guard, too. I was definitely more used to the quickened pace than Jacob, but when I was around, my family tried to slow down a little. This clearly was a different situation.

"What's going on?" Bella asked me when I got close enough to hear her. She was defensive. I felt bad, because I hadn't actually talked to her since she came back. If – _when_ she got better, I would have to fix that.

"Jake had an idea that might help you," I told her. "It's not going to be pleasant, but we think it might help the baby." Bella smiled at my use of the word.

"I wasn't exactly sure what side you'd be on," she admitted quietly. "I was afraid you were upset with me, since you had been avoiding me."

"Not avoiding you," I promised. "Avoiding the smell of the meds they're pumping through you. It makes this place smell like a hospital. Makes me sick just thinking about it," I joked. Jake rubbed my back.

"We've thought of a better way to feed him, Bella," Rosalie redirected, coming back to sit beside her.

"Yeah, Dani was filling me in. She says it won't be pleasant, as if that's much of a difference these days," Bella joked. I gave her a pity laugh. Edward entered the room and stepped around Rosalie, taking Bella's hand.

"Bella, love, we're going to ask you to do something monstrous," he said, using the same adjectives he'd offered earlier. "Repulsive."

"How bad?" She asked him. Dad came in to help explain.

"We think the fetus might have an appetite closer to ours than to yours. We think it's thirsty," He offered.

"Oh," Bella understood.

"Your condition – both of your conditions – are deteriorating rapidly. We don't have time to waste, to come up with more palatable ways to do this. The fastest way to test the theory-"

"I've got to drink it," she interrupted. "I can do that. Practice for the future, right?" She joked. No one really smiled, though. I took Jake's hand. He shouldn't have had to hear that.

"So, who's going to catch me a grizzly bear?" Bella whispered. Dad and Edward looked at each other quickly. Bella knew that she got something wrong.

"What?" She asked.

"It will be a more effective test if we don't cut corners, Bella," Dad divulged.

"If the fetus is craving blood," Edward cut in, "it's not craving animal blood."

"It won't make a difference to you, Bella. Don't think about it," Rosalie encouraged. Bella's eyes widened.

"Who?" she breathed, her gaze flickering to me. Jake's did too, and I shook my head.

"Do you want me to be lying there next to you passed out? No way, they've got a stash, Bella," I promised. Just the thought of blood made me shudder.

"For you – just in case," Rosalie added. "Don't worry about anything at all. It's going to be fine. I have a good feeling about this, Bella. I think the baby will be so much better." Her and that damn baby.

"Well," Bella rasped, barely audible. "I'm starving, so I'll bet he is, too. Let's go for it. My first vampire act."

Dad and Rosalie were off in a flash, darting upstairs. Edward stayed, holding Bella's hand.

"Do you wanna get out of here?" Jake offered. I shook my head.

"I'm fine," I told him, but I was already feeling uneasy. Edward gave me a look, but I brushed him off. I could do this.

Rosalie darted downstairs after a second, flying through the room like sharp breeze. She stopped inside the kitchen and Edward rolled his eyes.

"Not clear, Rosalie," he said, but I couldn't figure out what he meant. From the looks of it, Bella couldn't either.

"This was your idea?" Bella asked Jacob.

"Don't blame me for this one," he responded. "Your vampire was just picking snide comments out of my head."

"I didn't expect to see you again," Bella admitted. Jake shrugged.

"Looks like you're a package deal with this one," he nudged me and grabbed my hand, playing with the ring, reminding me of his promise.

"Edward told me what you had to do. I'm sorry," she apologized.

"S'okay," Jake claimed. "It was probably only a matter of time till I snapped over something Sam wanted me to do." He was lying.

"And Seth," she whispered.

"He's actually happy to help," Jake rolled his eyes. "Dumb kid."

"I hate causing you trouble," Bella sighed. _Then stop causing him trouble_ , I grumbled in my mind. Edward shot me another look. _If she wasn't so sick I would have said it out loud. Be glad my filter is working today._

"You don't have to stay and watch this," Bella said, speaking to both of us. "I know how you get, Dani. You're like I was."

"I'll take my chances," I smiled. Dad and Rose came back down shortly after that, and Dad had a white plastic cup in his hand, complete with bendy straw. Bella eyed it, looking scared again. I shrank into Jake.

"We could try another method," Dad said quietly. Bella shook her head.

"No, no I'll try this first. We don't have time…" she trailed off, tracing her belly with one of her hands. She tried feebly to drink from the cup, but she couldn't do it on her own. Rosalie noticed this and put her arm under Bella's shoulders, supporting her head too.

"Thanks," Bella whispered. Her eyes flickered around at us.

"Don't mind them," Rosalie murmured. Bella looked to me again. I nodded. I couldn't leave now, it would hurt her feelings. She had to do this. For herself and for the baby. She lifted the cup up to her face and sniffed at the end of the straw. She flinched, and then made a face.

"Bella, sweetheart, we can find an easier way," Edward said, holding his hand out for the cup.

"Plug your nose," Rosalie suggested. She glared at Edward's hand like she might take a snap at it.

"Rosalie, back off," I told her. Bella had to do this on her own.

"It's fine," Bella whispered. "It's just that it…" Bella sucked in a deep breath. "It smells good," she admitted in a tiny voice.

I could tell Jake was fighting hard to keep the disgust off his face. I squeezed his hand and laid my head on his shoulder.

"That's a good thing," Rosalie told Bella eagerly. "That means we're on the right track. Give it a try."

Bella squeezed her eyes shut and took a sip from the cup. She sipped for a second, and then moaned quietly with her eyes still closed. Edward stepped forward and touched her face.

"Bella, love-" he started, but she shook her head.

"I'm okay," she whispered. She opened her eyes and stared up at him. She was scared.

"It tastes good, too," she said. I couldn't help myself anymore. The blood on her lips and teeth did me in.

"I'm sorry," I said as I ran out of the room. I barely made it to the stairs before last night's dinner decided to reappear.

"Dani!" Jake shouted before running over and grabbing me before I could fall.

"Shit," I mumbled, and looked around. Edward must be pissed right now. I couldn't even imagine what Bella thought.

"Bring her upstairs to her room, Jacob," Dad ordered, he looked worried. "I'll be up in a moment."

"I should clean this up," I said, almost incoherently. Mom shook her head.

"Don't you dare think about it," Mom warned, cleaning supplies already in hand. "Get upstairs and Jake can help you get cleaned up. I'll take care of this," she promised.

"Can you walk?" Jake asked, prepared to carry me. I nodded, but then almost fell when I tried to make it up the stairs. He shook his head and picked me up bridal style, bringing me to the bathroom.

"If you're going to upchuck again, do it in the toilet this time," he teased, grabbing a towel and dampening it with warm water. I nodded and stuck my head in the toilet bowl. I felt a little better, but I was definitely still woozy.

"Here you go, baby," Jake said, washing my face. Once he got the grossness off of my face, he switched to a cooler towel that he ran across my forehead.

"Danielle?" Dad called, entering my room.

"In the bathroom," I called back, then turned to Jake. "Can you go grab me some sweats from my drawer, please?" Jake nodded and left, right before my dad came in.

"Are you okay?" Dad asked, squatting down next to me. I searched his shirt for signs of blood. He chuckled.  
"I made sure that there wasn't any trace before I came up here," Dad smiled, running his hands across my forehead and down my neck. "You don't feel warm," he mused.

"Just the blood, I think," I told him. He nodded.

"And stress, likely," he added. "Do you still feel nauseous?" he asked, taking my hand. I shook my head.

"Pulse looks good," he nodded. I rested my head back. His cold hands felt good. "You don't seem to have a fever."

"I don't think I'm sick, Dad," I complained. Jake came back with three different outfits. I rolled my eyes.

"Jake, I'm covered in vomit. Literally _any_ outfit would have been fine," Dad handed me the clothes.

"Do you think I'm good to take a shower, doc?" I teased my dad. He rolled his eyes.

"You seem to be fine, now. You should get some rest. I'll have mom bring you up some tea," Dad helped me up off the ground. "She's all yours, Jacob," he nodded.

"Thanks, Daddy," I called before he walked away.

"Of course, sweetheart," He kissed my forehead. "Next time, however, don't try to be so strong."

"I'll definitely stay away from the blood next time," I confirmed. No way was I going through that again.

* * *

I got out of the shower and Jake tried to get me to lay down in bed, but I fought him on it.

"I'll sleep when you do," I warned him. "Is everyone mad at me now?" I asked him. I knew he could probably hear everything that was going on.

"Are you serious? No one is mad at you, Dani. They're worried."

"Another reason I should head back down. They have to know I'm still kicking," I teased, and flicked Jacob.

"Alright, but if you throw up again, I'm out of here," he made a gagging sound that resulted in me throwing one of my books at his head.

"Hey!" He shouted, not expecting the book. Luckily he dodged out of the way before it could hit him.

"Come on, let's go," I grabbed his arm and led him back downstairs.

* * *

I got to the stairs and stopped suddenly, almost causing Jake to fall on me. I must have left a stain on the carpet Mom put down at the end of the stairs. It wasn't there anymore.

"It's okay," Jake said, rubbing my shoulders. "No one is mad at you."

"It's over, sweetie," Mom came over and hugged me. "Everything's okay."

"I'm sorry about the carpet, Mom," I apologized. She shook her head.

"I can replace a carpet, angel," she smiled. "I'm just glad you're feeling better."

We walked into the living room and Bella definitely looked better. She had rinsed her mouth out and looked less like _The Walking Dead_ and more like a human again. She gave me a soft smile.

"Are you okay?" she asked. I nodded.

"I'm sorry, Bella, I didn't mean to make a scene," I promised. She shook her head.

"Seriously, don't worry about it," she said. "If we were in opposite spots, I would have passed out," she argued. I laughed, remembering us talking about blood back in the day. It's funny how the two most blood sensitive people got stuck with the vampire family.

Edward rolled his eyes. _Can you_ please _stop staring at me? I'm done being sick._ Edward chuckled.

"Something funny?" She breathed. I shook my head.

"You look better than I do, apparently," I smiled. She did look much better. Her color was returning and she was already so much stronger. Edward even looked better.

"Would you like more?" Rosalie pressed. Jake grabbed me as if he was going to make a run for it. Edward flashed Rosalie a glare before speaking to Bella.

"You don't have to drink more right away," he cautioned.

"Yeah, I know, but…" Bella looked at me apologetically. "I want to," she admitted glumly. Rosalie ran her fingers through Bella's hair.

"You don't need to be embarrassed about that, Bella. Your body has cravings. We all understand that," her tone was soothing at first, but then she added harshly, "anyone who doesn't understand shouldn't be here."

I knew that her last words were meant for Jacob, but I couldn't help but take them personally. Edward hissed at her, reading my thoughts. I was glad Bella felt better, and Rosalie was right, I just couldn't stomach the blood. I shrank into Jacob.

"I'll be right back," Dad said as he took the cup from Bella's hand. "Maybe now would be a good time for a nap?" Dad suggested to me.

"You too, Jake," Bella scolded from her spot on the couch. "You look awful."

"Look who's talking," he retorted, smirking.

"Seriously, when's the last time you slept?" She asked. I was curious as well. He shrugged.

"Huh, I'm not actually sure," he admitted. I smacked him.

"Are you kidding me?" I scolded.

"Aw, Jake, now I'm messing with your health, too. Don't be stupid," she chided. I laughed.

"Yeah, what she said," I poked him. "Come on, let's go get some sleep," I pulled him to the stairs. Dad came back then, and Bella reached out for the cup of blood absentmindedly. "Now," I urged him. I didn't want a repeat of what happened earlier.

"Jacob," Edward murmured before we could walk too far. "You really should sleep. Don't worry about anything – I promise I'll find you if there's a need."

"Sure, sure," Jake mumbled. "Feel better," he said to Bella.

"Thanks, Jacob," she shivered.

"Get her a blanket or something," Jake muttered walking out of the room. We almost made it to mine before Jake groaned.

"Dammit," he snarled. I looked at him urgently.

"The pack," he explained. "It'll be fine, just find me some clothes," he grumbled, kissing me on the forehead. "Get some sleep!" He called before flying back down the stairs and out the door.

I sighed and plopped down on my bed. That's when I got a text from Alice. _Hang in there kiddo xxx_. I texted back _Miss you x._ She responded _We'll be back tomorrow. We're not too far. Jasper's enjoying himself._ I shuddered. Talking about hunting with my sister might not be the best thing right now. Maybe I _should_ have gone to school today.


	70. Hospitality

HOSPITALITY

By the time I woke up, Alice and Jasper were back. I was confused, because they weren't supposed to come back until tomorrow. I heard Jasper talking to Emmett in the hallway. I stepped out of my room and walked over to them. Jasper ran his fingers through my hair. I swear, no one in this family could go a day without touching me.

"Why'd you guys come back so soon?" I drawled, still half asleep. My nap knocked me out hard.

"Things were fuzzy with the wolves and Alice was anxious," Jasper explained.

"How are her headaches?" I asked.

"She's stubborn, that certainly doesn't help," Jasper mumbled. He sniffed and then groaned. "Your dog is back."

"Jerk," I stuck out my tongue at him. I knew he was doing it just to get a rise out of me, but these past few days with Rosalie had me on edge.

I walked down the stairs and saw Jake standing with Edward, wearing Emmett's clothes.

"Okay, I know I'm a heavy sleeper, but I definitely did not transport to an alternate universe, right?" I questioned. I didn't know if I liked my raggedy wolf in my brother's crisp clothes.

"Nah, Edward here was just telling me that I'm welcome to your Cheez-Its stash," Jake ruffled my hair. I pulled away from him.

"Uh, no you're not," I shook my head. He laughed, so did Edward. Nobody touched my Cheez-Its and they both knew that.

"I was telling Jacob that he, Leah, and Seth are more than welcome to our accommodations," Edward explained.

"I swear to God if you turn into Paul and eat all of my food," I warned Jacob. He started laughing.

"Clearly you didn't get the memo about how to be a good host," Jake teased. I growled at him. He put his hands up.

"I solemnly swear that I will not touch whatever stashes you have," he promised. I shook my head.

"Make sure the others follow that rule," I pointed at him. To prove my point, my stomach growled. "Speaking of which, I'm starving," I complained. I hadn't eaten anything all day thanks to my episode earlier.

I was walking to the kitchen when Bella cried out in pain and grabbed her side. She was panting and curled over. Rosalie held her while Edward, Dad, and Mom all hovered.

"Give me a second, Carlisle," Bella begged. Dad shook his head.

"Bella," he said anxiously, "I heard something crack. I need to take a look."

"Pretty sure it was a rib. Ow. Yep. Right here," she pointed to her left side, careful not to touch.

"I need to take an X-Ray. There might be splinters. We don't want it to puncture anything," Dad explained. Bella took a deep breath.

"Okay," she nodded. Rosalie lifted her up carefully, ignoring Edward's protest. He looked like he was going to bite her head off. If that was Jake, Lord knows what I would do to someone who tried to get in my way.

"I've already got her," Rosalie growled at him. I wanted to say something so badly, but Emmett gave me a look. I raised my hands and went into the kitchen. Bella didn't need another person in the room. Jake followed me. He sat down in one of the chairs and let his head roll back. I felt so bad for him.

"Sweetie," I ran my fingers through his hair, giving his head a soft massage. "You need to sleep. I'm not asking this time."

"Do you want a pillow?" A small voice said from the doorway. It was Alice. I smiled when she came in, and she returned the smile as best as she could.

"No," Jake mumbled. "Go make yourself something to eat, Dani, I'm fine."

"That doesn't look comfortable," Alice observed. Jake shrugged.

"S'not," he said.

"Why don't you move then?" Alice asked.

"Dani needs lunch," he mumbled, nearly falling asleep. I didn't have the heart to tell him it was dinner time. "Why aren't you upstairs with the rest of them?" Jake shot at Alice.

"Headache," she answered. Jake looked shocked.

"Vampires get headaches?" He seemed interested. I figured this was a good time to actually go make myself something to eat. Mom hadn't been cooking as much lately, so I just boiled some water and put some spaghetti in. Jake would eat it, too. I came back into the dining room and Alice was sitting next to Jake. She was explaining her headaches to him. They almost looked like they could get along.

"Bella gets in the way. She's all wrapped around it, so she's…blurry. Like bad reception on a TV, like trying to focus your eyes on those fuzzy people jerking around on the screen. It's killing my head to watch her. And I can't see more than a few minutes ahead, anyways. The…fetus is too much a part of her future. When she first decided…when she knew she wanted it, she blurred right out of my sight. Scared me to death," Alice told him. It explained her vision that morning and the sense of urgency behind it. Alice was used to me disappearing now. Bella, on the other hand, the last time she disappeared we all thought she was dead. Alice was quiet for a second before she added, "I have to admit, it's a relief having you close by – in spite of the wet dog smell," she joked. "Everything goes away. It's like having my eyes closed. It numbs the headache."

"Happy to be of service, ma'am," Jake mumbled.

"I wonder what it has in common with you…why you're the same way," Alice mused. I saw Jake clench his fists and knew he wasn't happy with that comment.

"I have nothing in common with that life sucker," he said through his teeth. I started running my fingers through his hair again, trying to relax him.

"What is that on your finger, Danielle?" Alice suddenly shot up, noticing my ring.

"Oh, this thing?" I smiled. "Just a symbol of Jake's never ending love for me." He rolled his eyes. He was going to be out shortly. I moved my hands to his shoulders. He was so tense.

"Did he propose to you? And I missed it?" Alice was almost yelling. I had to shush her to keep her quiet.

"It's just a promise ring, Alice. It's not a big deal…yet," I smirked. I could see her eyes light up.

"I'm planning your wedding, right? Of course right!" She giggled. It was the happiest I'd seen her in a long time. Jake started snoring and I knew he had finally fallen asleep. I went to check on the spaghetti and then ran to the living room to grab a pillow. Alice helped me lift his head up so I could put it underneath his face.

"I can't believe you're engaged and I missed it," Alice sulked. I laughed.

"We're not engaged!" I repeated. "But when the real proposal comes along, I'll let Jake know you want to be in on it."

"Congratulations, Dani," she smiled, pulling me into a hug. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Alice," I smiled, too. "Come on, sleepy head, we're taking this party up to my room." I woke Jake up and Alice and I helped him walk upstairs. It didn't take long for him to fall back asleep, and Alice stayed with him while I went and ate my spaghetti.

* * *

"I can leave whenever you want me too," Alice promised, sitting on the ottoman in front of my vanity. "It's just so nice not being in constant pain."

"You can stay as long as you want, Alice," I told her as I got ready for bed. "I'm not going to kick you out. I am, however, about to join my boyfriend in bed, and he has a body temperature of over 100 degrees which means I have to take a majority of my clothes off so I don't die of heatstroke over night. If that's not something you want to see, you might want to head out," I warned her. She shook her head.

"Point taken," she nodded. "Good night, Dani."

"Good night, Alice," I smiled.

I wasn't lying when I said I had to take nearly all of my clothes off to sleep with Jacob. I made sure he was covered with my sheets – took a picture because said sheets were pink – and then took my pants and my shirt off. I changed into a sports bra and shorts. It showed enough skin that I wasn't going to overheat, but made it clear I wasn't trying to seduce my boyfriend. He wouldn't wake up anyways.

* * *

"Good morning sleepy head!" I called when Jake finally came down the stairs the next morning. The mood was much brighter now that Bella wasn't on her death bed.

Edward had made a huge breakfast now that Bella was eating solids again, and Mom convinced Seth to stay when he came by looking for Jake earlier. I told him there was no chance in hell I was going to wake him up, so he might as well get comfortable. He found a spot next to Bella and did exactly that.

"About time," Rosalie mumbled. "The chainsaw impersonation was getting old."

"Ignore her," I whispered as I kissed Jake, walking by him and into the kitchen. I heated up a cinnamon roll, one of the omelets, and some bacon and put it on a plate for Jake.

"Hey, Jake!" I heard Seth crow. He was sitting on one side of Bella, his arm slung carefully over her shoulders. He had an overflowing plate of food on his lap.

"What the hell are you doing here, Seth?" Jake asked, pulling me onto his lap when I walked back in. I handed him his plate of food. He didn't touch much of it, just pushed it around for a moment. It was unlike him.

"He came to find you," Edward said. "And Esme convinced him to stay for breakfast."

"Yeah, Jake – I was just checking to see if you were okay, because you didn't ever phase back. Leah got worried. I told her you probably just crashed human, but you know how she is. Anyway, they had all this food and, dang," Seth turned to Edward, "man, you can cook."

"Thank you," Edward murmured. I smiled at him. _Thank you_. He nodded. I looked over and noticed how close Seth was to Bella. It was unusual considering Seth and Bella hadn't really hung out that much before.

"Bella got cold," Edward explained. _Hey, don't be mad at me. It's none of_ my _business,_ I shrugged.

"Is Leah running patrol?" Jake asked Seth. He still sounded like he was half asleep.

"Yeah," Seth said as he chewed. "She's on it, no worries. She'll howl if there's anything. We traded off around midnight. I ran twelve hours."

"Damn, I didn't mean to sleep that long, Seth. Sorry about that, really. You shoulda kicked me awake."

"Naw, man, you needed some serious sleep. You haven't taken a break since when? Night before your last patrol for Sam? Like forty hours? Fifty? You're not a machine, Jake. 'Sides, Dani woulda killed me if I tried to wake you up."

"Damn straight," I mumbled, stealing a piece of bacon off of Jake's plate. He still hadn't touched most of the food on it. Was he getting sick too? I looked up at him, but he ignored me.

"How's the rib?" Jake asked Bella, changing the subject.

"Taped up nice and tight. I don't even feel it," She told him.

"What did you have for breakfast?" He asked, sarcastic. "O Negative or AB Positive?" I smacked him for that one. Bella stuck her tongue out. It was nice to see her be herself again.

"What's Leah having for breakfast?" I asked Seth. I knew how hard it was for them to be out there for so long.

"I took food to her before I ate anything," Seth defended. "She said she'd rather eat roadkill, but I bet she caves. These cinnamon rolls…" He trailed off. Jake sighed, lifting me off of him.

"I'll go hunt with her, then," He said. I looked at him, but before I could say anything Dad got up to speak.

"A moment, Jacob?" He asked. Jake looked annoyed, but not enough to be disrespectful. He was just tired. I took his plate into the kitchen and washed it off. I was a little annoyed that he felt he had to go hunt with Leah, but I understood. He was the alpha now, and he needed to make sure his pack was taken care of.

I went back and the Spanish Inquisition seemed to be over. Jake pulled me into his arms.

"Okay, then," he said. "Now that that's settled, I'll just be on my way. Seth, I'll expect you back on at dusk, so get a nap in there somewhere, all right?"

"Sure, Jake. I'll phase back as soon as I'm done. Unless…" he turned to Bella. "Do you need me?"

"She's got blankets," Jake pointed out. I elbowed him. He looked at me like I had ten heads.

"I'm fine Seth, thanks," Bella said quickly. Mom flitted back into the room then, with a big dish covered in her hands. She stopped hesitantly just behind Dad's elbow, looking up at Jacob. She took a shy step closer.

"I know it's…unappetizing to your kind, the idea of eating here, where it smells so unpleasant. I would, however, feel so much better if you would take some food with you when you go. I know you can't go home, and that's because of us. Please – ease some of my remorse. Take something to eat," Mom held the food out to him. That explained why he didn't eat much earlier. The smell was bothering him. I wish he had told me, we could have gone up to my room or gone outside.

"Uh, sure, sure," Jake nodded. "Maybe Leah's still hungry or something." Jake reached out and took the food with his free hand. Mom looked better after he accepted her offering.

"Thank you, Jacob," Mom said, smiling at him.

"Um, thank you," Jake said, uncomfortable. I rubbed his back. My family left us alone after that.

"Will you come back later?" I asked him before he could make a run for it. He nodded.

"I don't know when," he said. I went to kiss him, but my mom suddenly appeared next to us, startling us.

"Excuse me," she smiled. I rolled my eyes. She totally did that on purpose. "Jacob, I left a basket of clothes on the porch. They're for Leah. They're freshly washed – I tried to touch them as little as possible. Do you mind taking them out to her?"

"On it," Jake muttered, then stared at me giving me a weird look. Mom didn't get the hint.

"Mom?" She looked up at me.

"Yes?"

"Can you give us a minute?" I asked her. Her eyes widened and she finally picked up on the social cues, escaping rather quickly after that. I pursed my lips and nodded as she breezed away. Jake chuckled.

"Are you okay?" I asked Jake, pulling him outside.

"Yeah, it's just…a lot. You?"

"I threw up yesterday," I laughed. "It's hard on all of us. Seriously, though. Tell me if you need anything, okay? I know my family can be overwhelming, but they're just trying to make this easier on you."

"I guess it's good practice if I'm going to be part of the family someday," Jake sighed. I smiled.

"You definitely better get used to this, then," I kissed him. "Go," I shooed when we pulled away. "Go bring Leah some real food."

"What would I do without you?" He shouted as he ran off.

"No idea, wolf boy. No idea," I sighed, watching my man run off into the distance.


	71. Clearwaters

CLEARWATERS

I walked back inside and sat down on one of the seats.

"How is he? Really?" Bella asked. "He barely touched his breakfast."

"He's fine," I told her. And he was, or rather, he would be. He just wasn't used to all of this added responsibility. There was a reason he didn't fight for Alpha prior to this.

"I wish he'd relax, he's always so tense when he's here," Bella added. I nodded.

"Welcome to my life, Bells," I sighed. What was I going to do with him? "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," she smiled. "I am sorry about yesterday," she apologized again.

"Bella, please," I scoffed. "I am the _last_ person you should be worrying about."

"You know, there's a solution to all this," Seth brought up once our side conversation had died down.

"That's not a bad idea, Seth," Edward mused. "Except it is illogical, given the circumstances."

"Can we at least hear the idea before you go crushing his hopes and dreams?" I snorted, not at all surprised by Edward's behavior.

"My apologies," he nodded towards me. "Seth, please continue."

"You could take off," Seth started again, much more weary this time. "Go to Tanya's place up in Alaska. Sam would never send the pack that far north." I groaned internally at the thought of having to leave again. Never mind the fact that winters in Alaska were brutal.

"Don't worry, Dani, it won't happen," Edward consoled. "As I was saying, while it's not a bad idea, it wouldn't work. Yes, Bella's better, but she still needs substantial access to medical equipment, access that Carlisle has here and wouldn't have in Alaska. We would be significantly more limited."

"I guess that makes sense," Seth sighed. I patted his shoulder.

"It _was_ a good idea, Seth," I smiled at him. He smiled back. Nothing could knock him down for long.

"I guess it is a good idea not to move her. The baby is kicking the crap out of you, Bella," Seth joked. While it was true, it wasn't all that funny. Bella chuckled a little, though.

"He's my little nudger, that's for sure," She smiled, rubbing her belly. "Actually, Seth, would you mind grabbing me the phone? I should give Charlie a call."

"You're calling Charlie?" I asked, astonished. I thought Edward was going to take care of that.

"I'm on the mend, there really isn't a reason to make him worry so much," Bella defended. I looked wide eyed at Edward. _How can you let this happen?_ There was an extraordinarily minuscule chance she was going to make it out of this as a human. She shouldn't be talking to Charlie right now. Edward gave me another look begging me to let it go. I shook my head and went upstairs.

 _Come to the attic_ , Alice texted me.

* * *

"You know, this is getting pretty creepy," I huffed, finally making my way to the attic. Alice had more than made herself at home up here.

"Are you going to turn into a bat, too?" I joked. She glared. "Okay, not funny. Got it."

"We need to finish clothes shopping. You're going back to school tomorrow," She reminded me. I groaned.

"Ugh, I completely forgot about school," I complained. "Is Dad really going to make me go?" Alice nodded.

"It's important, especially with Bella being so sick. We need to keep up our appearances."

"School is stupid," I complained. She laughed.

"I wish you'd make a decision on schools," Alice complained. "Have you even come close to decided what you want to do?"

"Alice, right now, an angry pack of werewolves is trying to kill my human sister-in-law who is carrying a vampire baby. The _last_ thing I'm thinking about is going to college. I don't even understand why I need to go."

"It's a human experience. Get one degree and we'll leave you alone," Alice smiled. "You should apply to Yale, you'd like it there. It's close to New York!"

"Alice, I wouldn't get into Yale," I told her. She winked. "Alice!"

"What?! You can get into literally any school you want to! You have resources!"

"I live with cheaters!" I complained. Jasper walked up the stairs laughing.

"You two are ridiculous," he shook his head, then pointed at me. "You _are_ going to college, though."

"I don't understand why I can't just get an online degree. I've never worked a day in my life, and knowing you all, I'll never have to. Jake doesn't want me to work, anyways."

"You're a strong, independent woman. Someday, you'll want your options. This is how you get options. You go to school," Alice nudged. I rolled my eyes and laid down.

"Just worry about your senior year, we'll figure out the college stuff," Jasper comforted.

"I swear to God if you all end up sending me to freaking Yale…" I trailed off. I did _not_ want to be on the other side of the country.

"Ugh, Seth's leaving," Alice complained. It meant her headaches would be stronger. Jasper rubbed her shoulders.

"You know what, Alice, you can buy me whatever wardrobe you like. I have summer reading to finish up," I told her. She gave me a face.

"Summer reading? You haven't mentioned having any summer reading all summer," She accused. I just smiled and walked down to my room. It's hard to mention something you don't plan on doing. Good luck getting me into Yale if I have to retake senior year. I'd be getting an angry text from her later.

* * *

I looked out the window of my room and saw Leah lying in the back yard in her wolf form. She looked miserable. Mom knocked on the door.

"Come in," I told her. I pulled out the book I was supposed to be reading.

"I noticed Leah outside, do you think she's eaten at all today?" I shook my head.

"Sorry, Mom, but I doubt it. Jake probably ate once he left, though," I tried to assure her. She looked so guilty. "It's nothing you've done, Mom. It's just hard for them to get past the instinct."

"I know. I was thinking, sweetie, that maybe you could give up your room for a little while today so that Leah could sleep in an actual bed? I know she wouldn't sleep anywhere else." I nodded. It was a good idea.

"Is Seth still here? I can get him to go wake her up," I asked Mom. I knew Alice said he was leaving, but he wasn't Jake. He wasn't eager to go back outside to run patrol.

"He's on his way out," she mentioned. I nodded and walked downstairs.

"Seth!" I called to him before he could change. He turned around like something was wrong.

"Everything okay?" He asked me. I nodded.

"Can you go wake up your sister? I need to talk to her," I explained. He raised his eyebrows.

"Do you have a death wish or something?" He asked me.

"I just want to offer her a better place to sleep," I defended. He shrugged.

"Alright, but Jake isn't here to help you if she gets pissed," He warned. "Which she will."

Seth transformed into his wolf self and met me in the back yard. He nudged Leah and when she woke up, I took a few steps back.

"Leah!" I called to her. She growled at me. I wondered if Jake was listening in on this.

"I just wanted to offer you a place to sleep. I know you're tired. My room doesn't smell as bad as the rest of the house, at least that's what Jake tells me. His scent is all over the place in there, so that should mask it too. I can bring up some food if you haven't eaten yet and you can get some sleep in a real bed," I told her. She huffed for a minute before turning and running into the woods. Seth gave me a sad look and then took off after her.

"Well, I tried," I shrugged, and started back inside. A few moments later, I heard Leah shouting to me from the woods.

"Hey!" She called. I turned around and smiled.

"Right this way," I led her inside. I brought her past everyone else, and upstairs to my room.

"I'll leave you be," I promised her. "No one will come bother you. If you need me, just call out my name. Someone will hear you and come get me. I'll bring you up some dinner later."

"Thank you, Danielle," she grumbled, rolling over and falling back asleep. I recognized the clothes as my mom's. I didn't think she'd appreciate knowing that, though. I grabbed my book and headed down to the basement.

* * *

A few hours later, Emmett came down to get me.

"How's the reading going, nugget?" He messed up my hair. I glared at him.

"It's reading," I shrugged. "It's boring."

"That's what you get for picking, what, _Anna Karenina?_ " Emmett teased. "Yikes."

"Mariana is reading it too, I figured we could work on it together," I admitted. That was before I wasted the whole summer gallivanting with my boyfriend.

"You should give her a call and see what she's up to," Emmett suggested.

"I'll see her tomorrow," I reminded him. He nodded.

"Fair enough. Oh, Leah was looking for you, by the way."

"Is that why you came down here?" I asked him. He couldn't have just gotten to the point? Leah was probably pissed by now. He didn't answer, so I just rolled my eyes and ran up the stairs.

By the time I got to the top I was completely winded. Leah was making my bed.

"You don't have to do that," I told her from the doorway. She jumped a little.

"Cute room," she smirked.

"It gets the job done," I told her. "What's up?"

"I need to get back out there. Seth should come back here and get some sleep."

"Jake told him he didn't need to be back out until tonight. I don't know why he went out earlier. He had all day to sleep," I told her.

"Neither of us like the idea of Jake being out there alone," Leah admitted.

"I appreciate that," I nodded. "I like the idea of him having backup."

"You shouldn't question his love for you, you know. It's real. He doesn't see her the same way anymore," Leah explained. "I get it now."

"What are you talking about?" I asked her.

"I didn't get how Sam could love me one minute, and then Emily the next. I've always kind of resented him for that. Seeing how it worked with you and Bella, though, I understand it more. He might have loved Bella, but he doesn't even look at her anymore. She's a friend. When he sees you, you're the sun. You're his whole world, and then some. You shouldn't doubt him."

"I'm sorry that happened to you and Sam," I whispered. Jake had never told me the whole story. Leah shrugged.

"I'm glad I'm out of his head," she acknowledged. "I didn't join Jake's pack just so I could keep an eye on my brother, you know. I'm not that generous."

"All the same, I appreciate what you're doing for him. Regardless of your incentives."

"I should get going," Leah mumbled, looking at her feet. "Would you mind walking me out?"

"Not at all," I shook my head and waved her out the door. "After you."

"Thanks," she smiled.

* * *

Around 10:00 Jake and Seth walked back in. They didn't even bother knocking. I was just about to hop into bed when I heard the familiar voice.

"Where's Bella?" Seth asked.

"Bathroom," Alice answered. "Mostly fluid diet, you know. Plus, the whole pregnancy thing does that to you, I hear."

"Ah," Seth said. I came down the stairs. "Hey, Dani!"

"Hey, babe. I thought you'd be asleep." Jake came over to kiss me. "I'm not going to be here long," he admitted.

"It's okay. I was on my way to bed when I heard you come in," I kissed him.

"Oh, wonderful," Rosalie grumbled. She was carrying Bella in her arms. "I knew I smelled something nasty," she shot at Jake.

"Enough, Rosalie," I snapped back at her. Bella's face lit up.

"Seth, Jacob," She breathed. "You came."

"Hiya, Bella," Seth smiled, walking over to where Rosalie was laying Bella on the couch.

"Are you cold?" Edward asked Bella.

"I'm fine," she coughed. Rosalie looked at her disapprovingly.

"Bella, you know what Carlisle told you," she said. "Don't downplay anything. It doesn't help us take care of either of you."

"Okay, I'm a little cold. Edward, can you hand me that blanket?"

"Isn't that sort of the point of me being here?" Seth asked her, a little hurt that she wanted to replace him with a blanket. I looked at Jake. He shrugged. I had _my_ blanket, I smirked. Edward shook his head at the thought. _Whoops, sorry._ I giggled a little.

"You just walked in," Bella complained. "After running all day, I'd bet. Put your feet up for a minute, I'll probably warm up again in no time," she insisted. Seth ignored her, and sat on the floor next to the sofa. He leaned against her side and let his arm rest along hers, holding her hand.

"Thanks, Seth," she said, shivering.

"Of course, Bells," he smiled. He looked like the luckiest guy in the world. I couldn't help but smile.

"Are you hungry?" I asked Jacob. I was nearly dead on my feet. Jake shook his head.

"Rosalie, why don't you get Jacob and Seth something from the kitchen?" Alice asked, ignoring Jake's wishes. She was almost as good as reading him as I was. Rosalie stared at her in disbelief.

"Thanks, Alice, but I don't think I'd want to eat something Blondie's spit in. I'd bet my system wouldn't take too kindly to venom," Jake joked, but my eyes widened.

"She wouldn't dare," I growled, and Jake laughed a little.

"Rosalie would never embarrass Esme by displaying such a lack of hospitality," Alice echoed.

"Of course not," Rosalie sang, getting up and breezing to the kitchen.

"You'd tell me if she poisoned it, right?" Jake asked Edward.

"Yes," Edward promised. Rosalie was back fairly quickly. With a pleased smirk, she set a silver bowl on the floor in front of Jake. She brought a plate of food to Seth.

"Enjoy, mongrel," she hissed as she sped past us.

The silver bowl on the floor was bent to be shaped almost exactly like a dog dish. She'd scratched the word Fido into the side of it. I was going to kill her. Jake shook his head, sensing my anger.

"Thanks, Blondie," he said, picking up the bowl and taking a bite of the steak inside. "Hey, do you know what you call a blonde with a brain?" He asked. I rolled my eyes. _Jake, what are you doing?_

"A golden retriever," he joked. I smacked him. Why couldn't they just get along?"

"I've heard that one, too," Rosalie complained, no longer smiling.

"I'll keep trying," Jake shrugged. Rosalie rolled her eyes and then started flickering through channels on the TV. I sat down next to Jake on the stairs as he ate. Bella, now warm, had drifted off to sleep. I could see Jake contemplating something for a little while before smirking. I warned him with my eyes not to do anything stupid, but he ignored me. He chuckled once more before standing up, taking the bowl, and throwing it into the back of Rosalie's head.

"Dumb Blonde," he murmured.

"Jacob!" I scolded him. "Why would you do that?!"

Rosalie turned her head slowly, and her eyes were blazing. This was it. This was the showdown everyone had been waiting for.

"You. Got. Food. In. My. Hair," Rosalie growled. Jake was killing himself laughing. I heard Alice join in as well. I couldn't help myself either. Rosalie had it coming.

"What's so funny?" Bella mumbled from the couch.

"Jake got food in Rosalie's hair," Seth answered, joining in the laughter.

"I'm not going to forget this, dog," Rosalie hissed.

"S'not so hard to erase a Blonde's memory," Jake pointed out. "Just blow in her ear."

"Get some new jokes," she snapped.

"Yeah, maybe quit it with the blonde jokes, Jake," I tapped him, holding up a lock of my blonde hair. It hadn't been bothering me that much, but it wasn't exactly attractive behavior, either. He looked like I just told him the end of the world was coming. I smiled.

"It's fine, let's just go to bed," I pulled him up the stairs.

"Do you want me to stay?" He asked once we got upstairs. I shook my head.

"You should be out with Leah. Seth has everything under control here, apparently."

"Yeah, it's kind of weird, right?" Jake joked, rummaging through my drawers.

"Definitely. Can I help you find something?" I pointed at him. He shrugged.

"Nope, just snooping. I never come up to your room."

"You were just in here," I reminded him. He walked over to me.

"I was sleeping, that doesn't count. Aren't you supposed to be going to school tomorrow?" He questioned. I groaned.

"Yes, which is why I was supposed to be in bed an hour ago," I pushed him away from me and crawled into bed. "You're more than welcome to stay, but I need to sleep or I'll never wake up tomorrow."

"I'm going to head back out. Text me if you need anything," he tucked me in and kissed me goodnight.

"I like this," I smiled. He winked and then shut the lights and headed out the door.


	72. Death

DEATH

"Please don't make me go to school," I complained from the hallway. Bella might have a broken pelvis this time, and they were giving her another x-ray. If this baby wasn't a vampire, this amount of radiation would definitely be doing major damage.

"You need to go, sweetie," Mom finalized. "I'm driving you and we're leaving in ten minutes, so get moving!" She ordered. I groaned. How were they expecting me to sit through an entire day of school when all of this was going on?

"I'll keep you updated," Alice promised. "Come on, I'll help you finish getting ready."

"I don't want to go," I whined like a two-year-old.

"I know you don't," she acknowledged, but didn't give me an out. "Come on, you're going to be late."

I didn't say anything to Mom on the ride to school. I was borderline furious. Mom was trying to make small conversation and was filling me in on what I should say to answer questions, but I was barely listening. I'd make something up. I knew the gist of the story.

"I do hope you have a good day, angel," Mom sighed as she pulled into the parking lot. There were so many people.

"I doubt it," I scoffed. "Make sure Bella doesn't die before I come home," I grunted as I left the car. I was definitely not used to being around so many people, and it made me anxious. I clutched my backpack tight and headed to my first period. I didn't even wait to see if I could find my friends.

"She lives!" I heard someone shout and they came and sat on my desk. It was Tyler.

"Hey, Ty," I said softly. I was staring at my phone, waiting for Alice to text me.

"What's wrong?" He asked. Tyler and I had a special relationship. Kind of like Jake and Bella without the weird love quadrangle thing. He always knew when something was wrong.

"I'm just worried about Bella," I admitted. I shouldn't be initiating that conversation, but my friends deserved to know why I was buzzed out today.

"How's she doing? Mike said she was really sick," Tyler commented. Mariana came and stood beside him. I gave her a smile.

"She's getting better, but it's still touch and go," I reported, shrugging. "My dad is doing the best he can, but I'd still rather be there with here than here."

"I'd rather be anywhere than here," Mariana joked. She didn't know how right she was. "How was your summer, stranger?"

"It was good," I smiled, remembering all of the good times with Jacob. I felt bad. I had basically disappeared off the face of the earth. All of my free time was spent on the beach at La Push, or hiking, or doing something with my family. If it weren't for the wedding I wouldn't have even saw Tyler.

"How's Jacob?" She hinted suggestively. I laughed and shook my head.

"He's great," I smiled, then remembered my ring. "Check it out!" I showed them. Their eyes lit up.

"Wow!" Mariana squealed. "Did he carve this himself?"

"I honestly don't know, but knowing my Jacob, it's plausible," I smiled. If he did carve it himself it probably took him months to create.

" _My_ Jacob?" Tyler teased. I rolled my eyes. I slipped sometimes. "You guys are adorable," Tyler admitted.

"Mrs. Frasier is here," Mariana whispered. "Here's to a great senior year!" She cheered. I rolled my eyes. Yeah, senior year is off to a _great_ start.

* * *

I got a text from Alice around one. Jake was going to pick me up from school. He'd be in the Vanquish. I laughed out loud at that. Jake would be in heaven.

At the end of the day I saw him leaning against the side of the car, smirking. He was in a pair of Emmett's old clothes, which made the scene even that more ridiculous. I looked around. There would definitely be rumors after this one.

"You're unbelievable," I sighed, grabbing his shirt and bringing him down to my level to kiss him. He turned me around and picked me up and placed me on the hood of the car. We started making out a little bit, but then I remembered where we were.

"Not here," I gasped. He nodded. He walked me around to my side and opened the door for me, then he got in the driver's seat.

"Who gave you the keys to the Vanquish?" I joked. I didn't think I had even ever been in this car.

"Edward. He can read the thing's mind now," Jake explained. "I needed an escape. Edward couldn't wait to get me out of there."

"So you took the Vanquish for a spin?" I smiled.

"Hell yeah I did, this thing is a beauty," he rubbed the steering wheel for added effect.

"Maybe I can convince Dad to get you one for our wedding," I smiled. Jake shook his head for a minute and then shrugged, realizing it was a possibility. I knew he would never ask for it himself. I'd have to put it on the radar.

"How was school," he asked, changing the subject. I shrugged.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. I was going crazy not knowing what was happening at the house, but everyone was understanding. They all still think Bella is sick. A few people asked about how Edward and Alice were doing in college, so I lied – a lot, but most people let it go," I explained. Some people were nosy, but others really just didn't care.

"Have you had to do this your whole life? Play rumor police?" Jake asked, unbelieving.

"It wasn't bad until I got to high school, really. In elementary school none of my friends knew anything or cared. In middle school a couple of people made the connection, but it wasn't until we were all going to high school together that people dubbed me the 'normal one' and started asking me all of the questions."

"That sucks, babe," Jake rubbed my knee. I shrugged.

"It's a little annoying sometimes, but they're my family. It's important we have a story out there that people will believe so that we can stay in one place longer. I started my freshman year in Forks and with any luck, I'll graduate in Forks. That's not something I ever thought would happen, and honestly, I owe a lot of that to you and Bella."

"What about that time you spent in Alaska? Were you going to school then?"

"I took online classes. I have to retake some of the classes this year, but most credits transferred back."

"That's good. I can't wait until you graduate," Jake smiled. I knew he was picturing what we were going to do with all of our free time.

"Don't be gross," I smacked him. My hand was so used to that sensation that it almost didn't hurt when I did it anymore.

* * *

We were pulling into the driveway when I heard Jake sigh.

"Your brother is waiting for us," he grumbled. I smirked.

"You realize he's probably _not_ waiting for me, right?"

"Yeah, I'm probably in trouble," he nodded. So did I.

"Hey Edward," I called, trying to keep the peace before they could start a fight.

"I'm not going to fight with him, Dani," he maintained. "I just have a few things to say."

"Thanks for the loan," Jake said sourly, throwing the keys to him then coming to stand by me. "Dani, why don't you go inside," he offered. I scoffed and shook my head.

"No chance in hell, whatever he has to say he can say in front of me," I declared.

"Fine, what do you want?" Jake asked Edward.

"Firstly…I know how averse you are to using your authority with your pack, but if you can't or won't control Leah, then I-"

"Leah?" Jake interrupted. "What happened?"

"She came up to see why you'd left so abruptly, and saw Seth with Bella. I tried to explain. I suppose it might not have come out right."

"What did she do?" Jake asked.

"She phased into her human form and-"

"Really?" Jake interrupted again. I glared at him.

"Jake, just let him finish," I scolded. I was as shocked as he was, but I wanted to hear the rest of the story.

"She wanted to speak to Bella," Edward paused, hissing. "I won't let Bella be upset like that again. I don't care how justified Leah thinks she is! I didn't hurt her – of course I wouldn't – but I'll throw her out of the house if it happens again. I'll launch her right across the river-"

"Hold on," Jake put his hands up. Edward was getting pretty worked up. "What did she say?" Edward took a deep breath, gathering himself. I adjusted my backpack. It wasn't too heavy yet, but it was getting uncomfortable. Jake took it from me like it was as natural as brushing his teeth.

"Leah was unnecessarily harsh. I'm not going to pretend that I understand why Bella is unable to let go of you or Seth, but I do know that she does not behave this way to hurt you. She suffers a great deal over the pain she's inflicting on all of us by asking for him to stay. What Leah said was uncalled for. Seth tried to reason with her, but Bella's been crying-"

"Wait-Leah was yelling at Bella about Seth? She's his big sister, Edward, she's probably just being overprotective," Jake tried to defend her.

"Edward, you should know what that feels like," I stepped in. _She's doesn't trust you guys the same way that Seth, and even Jake does_ , I added in my mind. _You are all dangerous to her. She's trying to protect her brother._

"I can't promise to control Leah," Jake spoke again. "I won't do that, but I'll talk to her okay? I'll try to be around more if that will make her comfortable. I don't think there'll be a repeat. Leah's not one to hold back, so she probably got it all off her chest today."

"I would say so," Edward grumbled. He knew we were right.

"Anyway, I'll talk to Bella about it, too. She doesn't need to feel bad. This one's on me."

"I already told her that," Edward pointed out.

"Of course you did," I rolled my eyes. "How is she doing?" I asked.

"She's sleeping now. Rose is with her."

"She's better in some ways. Aside from Leah's tirade and the resulting guilt."

"I heard you can hear the baby, now," I smiled, trying to get him to calm down. It was like talking to a completely different person. Edward nodded, smiling a little, even.

"Now that I can make out the child's thoughts, it's apparent that he or she has remarkably developed mental facilities. He can understand us, to an extent," Edward explained.

"Wow," I admonished. We should definitely stop calling the baby a little monster now. Edward chuckled.

"Yes, he seems to have a vague sense of what hurts Bella now. He's trying to avoid that, as much as possible. He loves her. Already."

"That explains a lot," Jake grumbled.

"The progress, I believe is more than we'd judged. When Carlisle returns-"

"They're not back?" Jake cut in sharply. Mom, Dad, Alice and Jasper had left this morning after I went to school to go hunting. They should have been back by now.

"Alice and Jasper are. Carlisle sent all the blood he was able to acquire, but it wasn't as much as he was hoping for – Bella will use up this supply in another day the way her appetite has grown. Carlisle stayed to try another source. I don't think that's necessary now, but he wants to be covered for any eventuality."

"Why isn't it necessary? If she needs more?" Jake asked. Edward looked at the both of us, trying to gauge whether or not to tell us this next piece of information.

"I'm trying to persuade Carlisle to deliver the baby as soon as he is back," Edward confessed. My eyes grew wide. Jake grabbed my hand.

"What?" He asked.

"The child seems to be attempting to avoid rough movements, but it's difficult. He's become too big. It's madness to wait, when he's clearly developed beyond what Carlisle has guessed. Bella's too fragile to delay."

"You think she's going to make it," Jake whispered beside me. I looked up at him, rubbing his shoulder with my free hand. Edward nodded.

"Yes. Waiting, as we have been, for the child to be ready, that was insanely dangerous. At any moment it could have been too late. But if we're proactive about this, if we act quickly, I see no reason why it should not go well. Knowing the child's mind is unbelievably helpful. Thankfully, Rose and Bella agree with me. Now that I've convinced them it's safe for the child if we proceed, there's nothing to keep this from working." Edward looked more hopeful than I'd seen him since he returned from the Island. It made me smile a little bit, even though I knew this information was ripping Jake apart.

"When will Dad be back?" I asked Edward.

"By noon tomorrow," Edward whispered, looking at Jacob. We both nodded. Bella was going to survive this. Maybe even as a human.

"Jake," I whispered. "This is good," I promised him. This was so good.

"I never got the chance to congratulate the two of you," Edward switched gears. I smiled, showing him the ring.

"It's beautiful, Dani," he smiled, then turned to Jacob. "I have never expressed to you how grateful I am that you've taken care of my sister this past year."

"It's nothing, Edward," Jake groaned, not wanting to be the center of attention.

"No, it's something. I know you hate me in many ways, but I must admit, I don't feel the same about you. I might have hated you a little at first, but she's my little sister. I would have hated anyone who loved her as much as you did. I think of you as a brother in many ways, Jacob."

"That means a lot, Edward," Jake mumbled. I almost laughed at how uncomfortable he was. It was cute.

"It really does, Edward," I hugged him. _This is all I have ever wanted._ He nodded.

"With that said, I do have to ask something of you. Brother to brother. I will beg, if I must," Edward sighed. _Nice shit sandwich there, brother._ I rolled my eyes. _Be nice to him_.

"I'm asking this of the true Alpha, Jacob. I'm asking this of Ephraim's heir," Edward began. "I want your permission to deviate from what we agreed to in our treaty with Ephraim. I want you to grant us an exception. I want your permission to save Bella's life. You know I'll do it anyways, but I don't want to break faith with you if there is any way to avoid it. We never intended to go back on our word, and we don't do it lightly now. I want your understanding, Jacob, because you know exactly why we do this. I want the alliance between our families to survive when this is over. I want Danielle to have both of her families survive this."

Jake must have thought something, because he didn't speak but Edward answered, "No. Sam's authority is assumed. It belongs to you. You'll never take it from him, but no one can rightfully agree to what I'm asking except for you."

"Jake," I begged him. I thought that this was a done deal, but if Edward was asking like this, it apparently wasn't.

"Yes," Jake mumbled, looking at me, then back at Edward. "You can turn her if it's what you need to do to save her life. The treaty will not be broken if that is the circumstance."

I let out a sigh of relief, and so did Edward. I reached up and hugged Jacob.

"Thank you," I whispered to him. "Thank you for loving me enough to do that."

"I love you enough to do anything," Jake kissed me back. "I can't hurt you like that."

* * *

We started walking into the house, hand in hand. Within seconds, I was facing the other way and Jake was leading me back outside.

"What the hell, Jake?" I gasped at him. Before I could say anything else, his lips were on mine. I pushed him off.

"Trust me," he smiled, kissing me again. I was so embarrassed, my whole family was probably watching this. His magic touch made me not want to care, however. Eventually, he let go and let me breathe again. He smiled.

"Bella was thirsty," he explained, kissing the top of my head. "I figured a make-out session would be better than getting sick again."

"You're so overprotective," I rolled my eyes. He smirked. He knew I was grateful. "Thank you," I whispered. I was saying that a lot today.

"Hey, kid," Jake called towards Seth as we walked into the living room. "S'all cool," Jake told him, knowing that Seth had been worried about him. "Sorry I took off on you earlier."

"It's not a problem, Jake. I'm sorry Leah got you in trouble, though," Seth mentioned. "Hey, Dani!" He called, noticing me too. "How was school?"

"Uneventful," I nodded. "Certainly not as exciting as this house of horrors," I smiled, using one of Jake's nicknames for the house.

"How are you doing, Bella?" I asked her. I didn't want to get too close, because I could still see some blood on her, but I smiled. "Big day today, huh? Lots of new stuff!"

"Yeah," she smiled. "How was your day? How did you like the car?"

"It was great. I took it for a spin before I went to pick up Dani," Jake smirked. I tried not to think of our make-out session in the parking lot, but it slipped. I heard Edward growl a little bit, and I couldn't help but laugh. _Sorry!_

"Sounds nice," Bella looked like she was deep in thought. "Rose?" she asked, and we heard Rose chuckle.

"Again?"

"I think I've drunk two gallons in the past hour," Bella admitted. Oh, she needed to go to the bathroom.

Rosalie went over to life Bella from the couch and take her to the bathroom. Seth tried to help a little, too, but Rosalie and Bella had a system down.

"Can I walk?" Bella asked. "My legs are so stiff," she complained.

"Are you sure?" Edward asked, taking a step closer to her. I didn't think Bella walking was a very good idea, either. From the look on Jake's face, he agreed with me.

"Rose'll catch me if I trip over my feet. Which could happen pretty easily, since I can't see them," Bella tried to joke. Seth was the only one who laughed, and I could feel Jake's glare. I smirked a little bit.

Rosalie set Bella carefully on her feet, keeping her hands right at Bella's shoulders. Bella stretched her arms out in front of her, wincing a little. "That feels good," she sighed. It was amazing to see her even standing up. "One more day," she said, patting her stomach. "All righty, then. Whoops – oh, no!" She spilled the cup that was on the table. It still had blood in it. The dark red blood spilled onto the fabric of the couch. Jake tried to move me, but I couldn't look away. Bella tried to reach down to grab it, but three other hands beat her there. Then, there was a sound that came from her body that definitely shouldn't be coming from a human's body.

It happened slowly, and then all at once. Bella gasped, and then went totally limp. Rosalie caught her in an instant, before she could fall. Edward called for her, but there was no response. Bella screamed, and it was the worst sound I had ever heard in my life. The horrifying sound cut off with a gurgle, and her eyes rolled back into her head.

It was a good thing Jake was standing behind me, because I didn't trust myself not to fall. There was no more time. The baby had destroyed her body. Bella was going to die.


	73. Baby

BABY

Bella's body, streaming with red, started to twitch and jerk around in Rosalie's arms as if she was being electrocuted. All the while, her face was blank. She was unconscious. The only sign of her still being alive was the movement. As she convulsed, sharp snaps and cracks kept time with the spasms.

The room was frozen for merely half a second, and then everyone broke. Jake grabbed me instantly and pulled me out of the way. Rosalie whipped Bella's body into her arms, and then she and Edward shot up the staircase to the second floor. If it weren't for Jake, I wouldn't have thought to move. I couldn't think of anything.

I stood there, amongst the shouting upstairs, staring at the bloody scene in front of me. I felt paralyzed. I couldn't do anything. My sister was dying and I couldn't do anything.

"Dani?" Jake was trying to get my attention. He was shouting at me. "Dani!" I looked up at him.

"I need to clean this up," I whispered. Jake looked at me like I was crazy.

"Dani!" Someone yelled from upstairs. "Dani!" Someone yelled again. I couldn't move.

"Come on, they need us to help. Dani!" Jake yelled at me, then he got quiet.

"Dani, they need you baby. You can do this. You can help," he assured me, pecking me on the lips before running upstairs. I was left on my own.

* * *

 _"Hey, Danielle, right?" I turned to see none other than Bella Swan herself standing behind me._

 _"That's me," I rolled my eyes._

 _"So who are you planning on taking to the Girl's Choice Dance?" She asked, trying to make conversation._

 _"My boyfriend, Andrew. He's in your biology class," I pointed out._

 _"That's nice," she said softly._

 _"Do you know who you're asking?" I tossed back._ Do not say Edward, _I begged._

 _"I don't know yet, I honestly forgot there was even a dance. I probably won't go," Bella admitted. "I'm not the most coordinated person."_

 _"I understand that," I laughed. "I might be alright on the dance floor, but I forget how to walk daily. My brothers make fun of me for it all the time."_

 _"Speaking of your brothers," Bella said. "How is Edward? He doesn't talk much, does he?"_

 _"He's just nervous," I said. It was the truth._

 _"It's just, I finally think we're civil and then he continues to just barely talk to be. Does he regret saving me or something?" Bella asked._ Not at all, _I thought._

 _"I don't think so, but maybe this is something you should talk to him about. We're siblings, but we're not that close," I lied._

 _"Yeah, you seem pretty different from the rest of them," Bella observed, prying._ Leave it alone, Bella, _I warned her internally._

 _"I'm the youngest of six," I explained, hopefully well enough. "I need my space at school, because I surely don't get it at home. Speaking of which, the girls are still waiting for me so we can leave. I'll talk to you later," I said, ending the conversation._

 _"Okay," Bella said, disheartened. I think she wanted more dirt than that, but that was something she'd have to get from someone else._

* * *

"He's suffocating!" I heard Bella yell from upstairs. Good, she was awake. I took a big breath and gathered myself. She wasn't some girl from school. She was my friend. She was Edward's wife. She was my sister. She was _not_ going to die today.

"The placenta must have detached!" Edward yelled as I came into the room. It was absolute chaos. Seth and Jake were standing there, not knowing what to do or how to help.

"Get him OUT!" Bella screamed. "He can't BREATHE! Do it NOW!" I saw the red spots pop out when her scream broke the blood vessels in her eyes.

"The morphine-" Edward growled.

"NO! NOW-" Another gush of blood choked off what she was shrieking. Jake noticed me standing behind him and pulled me close. Alice darted into the room, pushing us out of the way, and clipped a little blue earpiece under Rosalie's hair. Then Alice backed away, her gold eyes wide and burning. Rosalie was hissing into the earpiece. Her hand came up with the scalpel.

"Let the morphine spread!" Edward shouted at her.

"There's no time," Rosalie hissed. I did the only thing I could think of and grabbed Bella's hand.

* * *

 _"What are you up to?" I asked Bella as soon as we were in the bathroom. She glared at me._

 _"How did you know I was planning something?" She asked._

 _"Do you really think I can't tell when someone is trying to mess with my sister's visions? I've been doing it for the last twelve years. You're not that great of an actress, Bella," I told her._

 _"Look, I need to go. James has my mom. If I don't show up there – alone – he's going to kill her."_

 _"How do you know?" I asked her._

 _"The phone call – it was my mom, but it was James. He has her, Dani, I need to go."_

 _"We need to tell them," I said to Bella, grabbing her arm before she could run away. "I know you think that running away is the answer, but you need to tell them. They will help you get her back."_

 _"I only have until noon," Bella said. "I'm sorry, I can't," she said and she ran off. My eyes widened. She was going off to meet the man who wanted her dead._

* * *

There was blood. There was so much blood everywhere, and Bella was crushing my hand. She jerked, but she didn't scream. She was still choking.

I looked up at Rosalie with enough time to watch her face shift. Her lips pulled back from her teeth and her black eyes glinted with thirst. She was a predator.

"No, Rose!" Edward roared, but his hands were trapped, trying to help Bella breathe. Jake, following what was happening, launched himself at Rosalie, jumping across the table. I was afraid he would phase, but he never did. He knocked her towards the door and the scalpel she was holding stabbed into his arm.

"Jake!" I cried. They were fighting now.

"Alice, get her out of here!" Edward shouted. "Take her to Jasper and keep her there!"

"Jake, help them," I pleaded. _Help yourself_.

"Seth, I need you!" Edward called. Bella was turning Blue. Her eyes were dead.

"CPR?" Edward growled at Seth. I didn't think he knew CPR. I thought I would have to do it.

"Yes!" Seth acknowledged. I looked at him curiously. "I got certified after my Dad died," he explained, hopping up onto the table to get a better angle.

"Never mind that, just get her breathing! I've got to get him out before-" another shattering crack came from inside her body. We all paused, waiting for her to shriek. There was nothing. In fact, everything in her body went limp.

"Her spine," Edward choked in horror.

* * *

 _"What's wrong?" I asked. I looked right at Alice, knowing that she'd tell me the truth._

 _"Alice saw something," Jasper answered for her. Dad glared at him and then looked back at me. My heart must have been racing. He came and sat down next to me._

 _"Oh God," I said, trembling now. "What's wrong? Who's hurt? What happened?" I started asking as many questions as I could, hoping at least some of them could be answered._

 _"I'm going to Forks," Alice said. "You were right about Bella," she added sadly._ No _._

 _I shook my head. If they had just listened to me from the start it wouldn't have been a problem._

 _"Can you get to her in time?" I asked Alice. She shook her head._

 _"But I can help Charlie," Alice replied. This was terrible._

 _"I want to go, too. I was close to Charlie, too," I told her. Alice looked at Dad._

 _"She has a point," Alice said. "You know I would never let anything happen to her."_

 _"It's up to you, love," Dad said. "If you think that's what will help you heal, then that's what you need. We're all here for you."_

 _"We have to leave soon," Alice said. "We're flying out at 4:00. I'll book your seat when we get to the airport."_

 _"Okay, I guess it's a good thing I woke up, then," I said, getting out of bed. Alice nodded and started packing a bag._

 _"You sure this is a good idea?" Jasper asked, coming up next to me._

 _"Bella was the closest I had to a real best friend," I told him. "She knew every part of me. Parts that I could never tell Tyler, or Andrew, or Mariana. I could be human world Danielle_ and _vampire world Danielle. I owe her everything for letting me have that. If there's anything I can do to help the people who loved her as much as I did, I want to be there for that."_

 _"Alright then," Jasper nodded._

* * *

"Get it out of her," I deadpanned, looking at Bella's pale face. "Get it out of her!" I yelled again. Seth and Edward were caught off guard. Jake was back and standing by the doorway. Rosalie must be under control.

"She won't feel anything now, just get it out of her!" Seth was bent over her head, giving her rescue breaths. I squeezed her hand. I couldn't look away from her eyes. _Keep your heart beating, Bella. I cannot lose you._

The next sound jolted through me, unexpected and terrifying. Like metal being shredded apart. Edward was biting through Bella's skin to get to the baby.

"Stay with me, Bella!" I yelled at her. I was sobbing. "Stay with me! You're not leaving me. Keep your heart beating!" I was never nice enough to her. I never told her how much she meant to me. I ignored her these past few weeks when I could have been supporting her. I didn't deserve her.

"Renesmee," Edward whispered, holding up a baby girl. Bella had been wrong.

"Let me," Bella croaked, coming back to us. "Give her to me." I backed away and into Jake's arms. I was hyperventilating. I was covered in blood.

The moment was short lived when Bella gasped in pain. In an instant Edward snatched Renesmee and was handing her to me.

"Take the baby," he ordered. I didn't know what to do. Jake led me out of the room with the baby. Rosalie was waiting in the hallway.

"Give her to me, I'm fine. I can look after her until Bella is ready," she said, holding her arms out. As if I was going to give her the baby. As if she wasn't the reason Bella was dying in the next room. As if all of this was worth it because of the life I held in my arms.

I did something I never expected to do, and never thought I had the courage to do.

"Go fuck yourself, Rosalie," I hissed at her, and walked right by. _If she doesn't make it, this will be all your fault._


	74. Silence

SILENCE

I didn't speak again as I washed my baby niece off in the bathroom of my bedroom. I just rinsed and rinsed. Rinsed the blood off of her. Jake came and sat on the toilet beside me, just watching me drown in myself.

"You should give the baby to Rosalie," he confessed. I didn't take my eyes off of Renesmee. I was a mess, and the only thing holding me together was this baby. Plus, I didn't want to give Rosalie what she so desperately wanted. For a few minutes, I was going to be selfish. I was going to let myself ignore everything that happened so I could take care of my niece. I was going to be human for just a God damn minute.

"You need to say something, Dani," Jake whispered again from the toilet. "I know that was really scary for you."

"Stop it, Jake," I hissed, then hissed again as Renesmee playfully bit me. She placed her hand on my face, showing me an image of Bella. It wasn't the image I saw of Bella; however, it was Renesmee's image of Bella during the delivery.

If it wasn't for Jake, I would have dropped her.

"Dani!" He scolded, holding the baby. I didn't say anything, just focused on the blood coming out of my hand. There was still so much blood. Jake shook his head mumbling and left the room for a second. He came back without the baby.

"Dani, babe, come on," he whispered sadly, leading me to the bath. He started running the water and began to take my clothes off. The minute he touched me I started crying.

"Baby," he pulled me tighter. I couldn't stop crying now. Bella was probably dead by now. The screaming had stopped. I couldn't unsee the things I had seen tonight, and it was going to haunt me forever. I couldn't breathe.

"It's okay, baby. It's going to be okay," Jake murmured beside me. He rubbed circles in my back and just held me. There was nothing anyone could say right now that would make me feel better. Images flashed through my mind. Bella breaking. Rosalie turning into a monster before my eyes. Edward literally ripping into Bella. It was all terrifying. I was afraid of my own family. I was shaking now.

"I bet you've never seen anything like that before, huh," he whispered, rocking me on his lap. "It was pretty crazy. They love you, though. They're worried about you. Your mom and dad came back and they want to see you, when you're ready," Jake continued to just talk. His voice was comforting. _He_ was comforting.

Realizing I wasn't going to speak he asked me if I was ready to take a bath now. I nodded, blankly.

* * *

 _"I'm so scared," I confessed to her. I didn't want her to think that I was mad. I hoped that explaining my fear would get her to see that._

 _"I know, me too," she whispered. "I'm sorry about Edward," she apologized. I wasn't expecting that._

 _"Honestly, it's okay. It doesn't help the anxiety, but it's okay."_

 _"Everything is going to work out, Dani. It has to," Bella tried to convince me. I know she had been talking to Alice a lot about everything._

 _"Things can change. With the wolves it's harder for her to see things," I didn't need to explain who 'she' was._

 _"I didn't want anyone to fight for me. I never asked them to," Bella confessed._

 _"They love you, Bella. We all love you. You never had to ask. You're one of us now, whether you asked for it or not. This is what we do," I told her._

 _"How can you be so kind to me? I keep putting everyone you love in danger," Bella asked. I rolled my eyes._

 _"You do," I told her. "That doesn't change the fact that the four months where you weren't a part of our lives were the worst four months for my family. It was like losing a sister or a daughter. It was as heartbreaking for me as it was for them. We've all been there, Bella. We've all gotten ourselves in some kind of trouble. You are just getting it out of the way while you're a human," I grinned._

 _"Thank you for being there," Bella smiled. "I don't know how I would have gotten through all of this without you."_

 _"Honestly, Bella, I feel the same way. It's nice having a human to be stuck in this mess with."_

 _"I wouldn't choose anyone else."_

* * *

"Dani?" Jake's voice cut through my flashback. "You okay, babe?" He was cleaning me, but I was still covered in blood.

"It won't come off," I started scratching myself. The blood wouldn't come off. I grabbed the sponge out of Jake's hand and started scrubbing. Why wouldn't it come off?

"Dani!" He said, trying to get the sponge out of my hand. "What the hell are you doing?"

"It won't come off!" I cried louder. The blood was still there. It was still everywhere.

"Dani, that's your blood! Cut it out!" Jake finally ripped the sponge from my hand. He looked at me like I was crazy. I probably was, at this point.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, looking down at myself. The water was stained with blood. I was bleeding, still.

"It's okay," He whispered back. "Can you stand up?" He helped me stand up and wrapped me in a warm towel. He pulled me into his arms and I started crying again. I didn't know what I was feeling. It all hurt so bad.

He dried me off and combed my hair, even going so far as to braid it. He helped me change into a nightgown and then laid me down in my bed.

"I'll be right back, okay?" He asked. I could tell he didn't want to leave me alone. I didn't answer him. He sighed and walked out.

Jake came back within minutes with a first aid kit and a glass of water. He even put a bendy straw in it. He climbed on the bed and started placing bandages on the scrapes I had made on myself. He put a bandaid on the spot where Renesmee bit me. He continued to run his fingers through his hair. After he was done, he held up the glass of water and made me take a few sips.

"Your dad gave me some pills that might help you sleep," Jake suggested. "I told him I'd ask you. They're worried about you."

I didn't realize they made their way back here. I didn't know where anyone was. I was in my own world.

I shook my head. I didn't want to take the medication. They made the nightmares worse.

"You need to sleep, Dani," he told me. His warmth felt good. "I can go get your laptop and we can watch a movie, if you'd like?" He suggested. He must be really desperate. He hates watching movies with me. I didn't answer.

"Look, Dani," He sighed. "I know tonight was scary. I know you saw things that your family hoped you would never see, but you can't disappear on me like this. You've got to say something. You've got to show me you're still alive in there, somewhere. I can't lose you, too," Jake's voice broke at the end, and it made my heart hurt even more, if that was still possible. My eyes started tearing up.

"Jacob?" Edward knocked from the doorway. Jake hissed, and I cringed. I didn't like the intensity. He looked at me apologetic before going to the door. They spoke for a few minutes, but there was no shouting. I rolled over and tried to close my eyes. I couldn't get tonight's images out of my head.

Jake came up behind me and just held me. He even started singing. I remembered when we gave Jared a tough time because we found out he was singing Kim to sleep. I smiled a little at the memory.

"There's my girl," Jake kissed my head. "Just go to sleep. I'm not going anywhere."

Jake turned on my laptop and put in _Lilo and Stitch._ Someone must have told him that that was my favorite movie. It reminded me of my family.

Between Jake and the movie, I somehow miraculously fell asleep that night.


	75. Bunny

_"Emmett slow down!" I called to him. He was so mean, he knew I wasn't as fast as him. He took a corner sharp and flew down the stairs. I followed, or at least I thought I did, and ended up falling down. I hit my head and started crying and screaming. It was bleeding, and it hurt._

 _"Dani…" I looked up to the voice and it was Emmett, except he didn't look like Emmett. His eyes weren't happy anymore. He looked scary._

 _"Emmett!" Rosie called and rushed to him. She was outside. How did she get here so fast? They fought and he growled. He was more like an animal than like a person. Edward came and helped her wrestle him out._

 _"Baby," Momma cried, coming down to pick me up. Her eyes widened when she saw the blood, which made her tense. It made me more scared than I already was._

 _"Esme, love, I can handle this, why don't you go check on the kids?" Dad rushed in. He looked at my head and then smiled at me. I was still crying._

 _"You're going to be alright, my sweet," he smiled. Mom was still holding me too tight. It hurt._

 _"Momma, it hurts," I cried, and Dad took me from her and rushed me upstairs. I needed stiches._

 _"I know that was scary for you," Daddy said. I nodded. He was giving me stiches. He had to give me shot and the shot hurt, but now I didn't feel anything. He brought me my stuffed Panda, too._

 _"Do you have any questions?" Daddy asked. I went to shake my head, but Daddy stopped me._

 _"My fault, sweetie, but try not to move," he explained. "I don't want to make you hurt any more than you already have. You're such a brave little girl," he smiled. I stared at him._

* * *

 _"Get away from me!" I yelled when Emmett came back in the house, just like my Mommy used to do when Daddy tried to hurt her. She taught me to say that to people who hurt me._

 _"Squirt, it's me, it's your big brother," Emmett tried to smile, but he wouldn't get away from me. He was going to hurt me again! Edward came in and told Emmett to leave. Edward would protect me._

 _"You know Emmett loves you, right Dani?" Edward tucked a piece of my hair back. I was holding onto my Panda._

 _"He scared me," I whispered. "He's scary."_

 _"She won't let Rosalie or Esme near her, either," Alice said from beside me on the couch._

 _"She doesn't understand," Edward sighed. "How can we possibly to expect her to understand? She's a child."_

 _"Sweetheart, you know how we tell you that you're special, and that there is no one else like you?" Daddy told me. I nodded. They told me that a lot._

 _"Well, you got to see how Emmett, Mommy, and Rosie were special today, right?" I looked at Emmett. He looked sad. I nodded._

 _"Emmett was scary," I whispered. "Mommy said to keep scary people away from me."_

 _"That's right, baby," Alice nodded. "We want to keep scary people away from you, but just because someone scares you, it doesn't mean that they are bad."_

 _"My daddy scared my mommy and my mommy said he was bad," I told them._

 _"Your daddy hurt your mommy. He was bad," Edward grumbled. "Emmett scared you, but you also remember playing with him, right? You remember how much fun you two used to have together, right?" I nodded. I missed playing with Emmett, but I was too scared._

 _"You never played with your daddy that way, because he didn't love you the same way Emmett loves you. Your daddy might have wanted to hurt you, but Emmett doesn't. Emmett would never hurt you," Edward tried to explain. I didn't understand. He was so scary._

 _"We're special, Danielle," Daddy told me. "We have special rules because of it. We're not built the same way you are. We can be scary, sometimes."_

 _"I don't want to be scared," I cried. Daddy pulled me tighter._

 _"We don't want to scare you, but sometimes, we can't help it. We need to know you're safe when things get scary like that, which is why we're telling you that we're different."_

 _"Momma was really strong, but so are we," Edward added. "Rosie was fast, and so are the rest of us. Emmett was scary, and the rest of us can be too, and you_ should _be afraid when you see us like that."_

 _"You know how blood makes you feel sick to your tummy?" Emmett whispered from the corner. He tried to come closer, but I whimpered. Daddy raised his hand telling Emmett to stay away. Daddy was protecting me. I nodded._

 _"Blood makes us scary. It turns us into monsters," Emmett said. Rosie hissed at him, which wasn't nice, but it made him stop talking, which I liked._

 _"When you started bleeding, it made Emmett turn into a monster," Mom said. "It made our super powers come out, because we were turning into monsters," Mom added. "Whenever you are bleeding, I want you to run into Daddy's office and shut the door. Wait until Daddy comes to get you," Mom explained._

 _"Will you hurt me if I bleed too much?" I ask._

 _"We could," Jazzy admitted. I looked at him. "We would never do it on purpose."_

 _"So if I see blood I have to run to Daddy's office?" I asked them. Daddy nodded._

 _"Can you show us how fast you can run?" Daddy asked. "Can you pretend you're bleeding again so that we know you know what we're saying?" I nodded and got off of Daddy's lap. He nodded and I knew that meant to run._

 _I ran as fast as I could up the stairs and into Daddy's office. Waiting for me was a picture of my new family and a stuffed bunny. There were words on a piece of paper, but I couldn't read them yet._

 _"Do you want to know what it says?" Edward smiled from the doorway. Everyone was behind him. I nodded._

 _"It says 'We met you, and you chose us. Things may get scary, but never too tough. We made a promise to keep you safe, and so it is here in this place you will wait. Never let who we are make you feel scared, but it is important that you are prepared. We will love you forever and love you for always, for you are Danielle, a Cullen for all days.'"_

* * *

"Are you okay?" Jake asked, rubbing my arm. I didn't realize I was crying. "Want me to get you something?" I shook my head. Things had changed so much since I was six. Obviously the explanation my family gave me was an extremely limited version of what they were. It wasn't until a few years later we had the full length conversation. They were smart. They let me be as ignorant as possible. It wasn't until I got in an argument with my fifth grade teacher about my brothers never sleeping that they decided to sit me down and tell me that I should keep my mouth shut.

"Where are you going?" Jake asked, running to my side of the bed to help me up. I was still in the nightgown that Jake had put me in last night. I heard a baby cry downstairs and stopped moving. Bella was still dead.

"Dani," Jake sighed, but I walked out the door. I walked down the hallway and into my Dad's office, just like I would when I was younger and started bleeding. Just like when I was younger and was afraid.

I walked in and stared at her body. She had been cleaned up, but she was still white as a ghost. Edward was sitting by her side, holding her hand and talking to her. Dad was there, too. She was wearing a blue dress.

"Danielle, you shouldn't be in here," Dad scolded upon seeing me. Edward whipped around. I tensed. He looked at me apologetically.

I went to Dad's desk, which had been pushed into the corner. I opened the third drawer down, and there it was. The picture, the bunny, and the poem. I sat under the desk and held the bunny. I felt like I was six years old again. There was some shuffling and then Dad came and sat in front of me, just like he did when I was little.

"You haven't come down here since you were little," Dad smiled. "I thought you had forgotten about this."

"I don't know what to feel right now," I admitted. He nodded.

"That's okay, sweetheart. That is okay," he promised.

"Is she dead?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"She's in transition," Dad sighed. "With any luck she'll be back in a few days."

"As a vampire," I choked out. Dad nodded.

"But she'll be alive?" Dad nodded again.

"That's the plan, little one," he smiled. "Have you eaten anything?" I shook my head.

"I'm not hungry," I mumbled, knowing he would make me eat anyways.

"Mom can make you something," he suggested. "I think this family could use some humanity, don't you?"

"I don't know how to give that to them," I curled into a ball. I couldn't get the images from last night out of my mind.

"Let mom cook you something. Play chess with Jasper. Watch a movie. Read a book. Keep them occupied."

"Is Rosalie still with the baby?" I asked.

"Rosalie has been taking care of Renesmee, yes," Dad confirmed.

"I don't want to see the baby," I growled. I couldn't. Did that make me a terrible person?

"You don't have to, I can have Rosalie take Renesmee somewhere else," Dad said. I nodded.

"Come on. You can take the bunny, if you'd like," he teased. I shook my head.

"I feel like I'm going to be here a lot. It's more comforting than I remember," I explained. Dad nodded and put everything back into the drawer. He held out a hand and helped me up.

* * *

We walked downstairs as Rosalie, Seth, and the baby were leaving the room. There was a small nursery area set up where Bella once had an impromptu hospital room. It took me off guard.

"It's okay, Dani, just keep walking. The kitchen hasn't changed," Jake coached. It made me feel like I was a child. Maybe I _was_ a child.

"What would you like for breakfast, angel?" Mom asked me, walking into the kitchen. She was smiling. I hadn't seen her smile in a long time.

"Just some toast. I still don't have much of an appetite and I don't want to be sick," I said quietly. I kept looking over my shoulder, as if someone were watching me. After the umpteenth time of looking, Jake rested his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer to him. His warmth was a nice distraction.

"And you, Jacob?" Mom asked.

"Toast is fine for me, Mrs. Cullen," he addressed her. I've never heard him say her name before. It was odd.

"I know you will eat more than toast, Jacob. I can make you a breakfast sandwich?" Jake smiled.

"That would be great, Mrs. Cullen," he nodded.

"Make it three breakfast sandwiches," I told Mom. Jake's last meal was lunch yesterday. He would be starving.

"Coming right up," Mom smiled. She reminded me of one of those housewives from the fifties. She loved it, though. Being human like this. It killed me to know that her increase in happiness came from the infant in the next room.

"She's not quite an infant anymore," Edward mentioned, coming into the kitchen. I looked at him confused.

"She's growing incredibly fast," Edward murmured. _Why is that a bad thing?_

"We don't know if she'll stop growing," Edward answered. Jake looked annoyed that we were having a silent conversation. He would get over it.

"Oh," I whispered. Mom placed the toast in front of me along with a glass of orange juice. I smiled weakly at her. "Thank you," I said.

"Of course, I love you, sweetie," she came and pecked me on the cheek before speeding off into the other room.

"Are you mad that I'm not happy?" I asked Edward, who was still sitting with Jake and I.

"Of course not, you're still processing. If anyone can understand it's me," he said, pointing to his head. That's right. My brother is a mind reader. He literally knows that I can't keep my thoughts straight.

"How bad is it?" I asked Edward. Jake looked confused, but Edward knew what I was talking about. Mom came back quickly to get Jake his breakfast sandwiches, but then left again. I could tell by the look on her face the question made her uncomfortable.

"Excruciating," Edward mumbled. "It's like being burned alive, but there's nothing that can make it stop."

"That's terrible," I shuddered. Jake did too.

"That's what Bella is going through right now?" Jake asked. Edward nodded.

"It's better than her being dead," I grumbled. Edward hissed, and Jake tightened his grip on me. "Sorry," I apologized.

"You're right. Do you want to come talk to her? Carlisle and I can't seem to figure out how she's staying so still and quiet, but I know she can hear you," Edward explained. I shook my head.

"Not right now. I actually want to get out of the house for a while, I think," I mentioned. I never thought I'd say this, but I wish my parents had made me go to school today. Of course I knew they wouldn't, but I couldn't stay here.

"Well, I have good news for you then, babe," Jake squeezed my shoulder. "I think it's time I go back home, and I've love for you to come with me."

"What do you mean go home? Won't the other pack attack you?" I asked him, getting myself worked up. Jake just grinned like an idiot.

"There's a reason Seth was so attached to Bella during the pregnancy, Dani," Edward explained. I didn't understand.

"He imprinted on Nessie," Jake smiled. "Pack law states that we can't kill an imprint. Not even a vampire one. There's nothing they can do."

"So it wasn't good enough that she was my family, but she had to be an official imprint?" I asked. I was kind of miffed about this whole thing.

"Miffed?" Edward asked, smiling.

"Watch it, Dad," I teased him. I was an aunt. Wow.

"I knew you'd be okay," he smiled. "I'm going to go back up to be with Bella. Have a nice time in La Push."

"You know what? I will," I looked over at Jacob. If we could walk along the beach and have some stress free time to ourselves, I might just be able to forget all of the horrible things that happened this week.


	76. First Time

FIRST TIME

Going back to La Push felt like returning home after a long journey. I was a bit afraid – Jake's tension certainly wasn't helping, but there was an anticipation to it all that made me smile. Edward offered to let us take the Vanquish again, but Jake declined. He didn't want it to get ruined in the event someone started talking. Instead, Jake called Sue and she came to come pick us up. She missed her family as well.

"Hi Jake," she smiled, pulling into the driveway. I saw Billy in the front seat and waved. He waved back. "Where's my son?"

"I'm right here, Mom," he smiled, running up and hugging her. I didn't think it was ever possible for his smile to grow wider, but it did. The imprint looked good on him. While Seth and Sue were talking Jake and I walked over to the truck.

"I would kill you myself if I wasn't so damn proud of you, son," Billy patted Jake on the shoulder. I smiled like an idiot. I was proud of him too. It was then that I realized I owed Billy an apology.

"I'm so sorry that you were put through all of that, Billy," I told him. "On behalf of my family, I want to thank you and tell you how grateful we are for your support during this time."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Dani," Billy nodded. "It was rough – rougher on Sue, but we pulled through. I'm proud of Jake for sticking up for his girl," Billy joked.

"Dad," Jake groaned, and I chuckled. Leave it to Billy.

"Come on, let's get you kids home," Sue said, walking up behind us. I glanced at Jake, asking him silently if Seth told Sue that he imprinted. Jake shook his head. Sue would lose her shit if she knew he imprinted on a baby. I giggled at the thought.

"What's so funny?" Jake poked me. We were crowded in the back seat of the pickup. Once we crossed into the reservation we could move to the back, but the police in Forks were a little more sensitive about it.

"The fact that we're stuck in the backseat of a truck like we're children," I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Oh, that's because you _are_ a child," Jake pointed out. I nodded.

"You love me," I smiled. He nodded.

"I do," he pecked me on the lips and pulled me closer to him. I wished it wasn't so damn hot so I would actually be able to enjoy him. I started writing on his hand, and he was trying to guess what I was saying. I spelled out love, and he guessed it. Then I spelt out a question.

"That was way too many letters," Jake complained, laughing. I split it up.

"Will," he spoke, guessing the first word. I nodded, and spelled out the second word.

"You," he guessed correctly again.

"Marry," he smiled, knowing where I was going.

"Me," he rolled his eyes. "I'm supposed to ask you that."

"I'm just making sure it's still in the plans," I smirked. He rolled his eyes again.

"You better be planning on marrying her!" Billy motioned from the front seat. I laughed and stuck my tongue out at Jake. His face turned bright red and he just shook his head.

* * *

Sue and Billy dropped us off at the house, and we were both grateful to see that Paul wasn't there. Billy was heading back to Sue's house to help her with lunch. Emily was hosting a barbecue lunch for the pack, apparently. I looked at Jake sadly knowing he probably wanted to go, but didn't know if he was welcome or not. I shrugged.

Jake pulled me into the living room and we put on a movie. It was some dumb rom-com that I could tell Jake wasn't really into, but it was what was on television.

"So you really want to marry me, huh?" I asked him again.

"Why do you keep asking me that?" He turned to look at me. "I gave you the promise ring, and I tell you a thousand times a day how much I love you. You can ask me a thousand times if I want to marry you and every single time it will be a yes. Do you not want to marry me or something?" He looked sad and pensive. I kept asking him because I wanted to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I didn't realize in a million years that he would take it to mean I didn't want to marry him.

"I'm just trying to make sure this isn't all a bad dream. That I'm not going to wake up one day and realize I'm still in Chicago in a hospital somewhere. Bad things keep happening to me, but blessings keep coming my way too. I want to make sure I'm not going to lose all of them. Plus, I am going to ask you something else, and I need to make sure I'm not jumping the gun," I told him, looking down and playing with my promise ring.

"What's up? You okay?" He asked going into over-protective boyfriend mode. Given my behavior over the past 24 hours I didn't blame him.

"I want you, Jake," I told him. "I want to give you every piece of me." He looked at me like I was crazy. He wasn't picking up what I was putting down. Boys could be so dull, sometimes.

"Jake," I looked at him seriously. "I want to have sex with you."

"Dani, you don't have to-" he started, but I interrupted him.

"I have this amazing boyfriend," I started. "He is kind, and gentle, a bit of a pain in the ass, but he is the most attractive guy inside and out that I know. He has given me everything I could ever have dreamed of, and I want to be with him forever. I want this, Jake. I'm ready."

"Are you sure? I can wait, if that's what you-" I cut him off with a kiss.

"You've waited long enough, young grasshopper," I smirked. He shook his head and lifted me up onto his hips. I took a deep breath. This was happening.

"Wait, Jake," I stopped him as we were making out, "Have you ever done this before?"

"Nope," he popped the P. I looked up at him wide-eyed. "Saving it all for you, baby," he smiled, before going back to kissing me. I pushed him away.

"Jake!" I yelled at him. "You need a condom!" I said, almost a little too loud. He looked to the side and then back at me.  
"I'm dead serious, Jake, my sister-in-law got pregnant after her first time to a mutant vampire baby. You are going to wear a condom."

"I'll go check Rachel's room," Jake mumbled before walking away. I totally killed the mood, but I didn't care. I had been through too much the past few weeks to risk this.

"I'm not even going to try and think of where these came from, but I found one," Jake came back into the living room. "Now where were we?" He asked, picking me up and bringing me to his bedroom, kicking the door shut on the way in.

* * *

"You know, when I imagined having sex with you, I didn't quite picture it to be like that," I laughed, tracing lines on Jake's chest. He rolled his eyes.

"I swear anyone else would have just let it happen and enjoy the experience, but you, you have to talk through the whole thing," he rolled his eyes. "You're lucky I could make _anything_ happen," he smirked.

"I'm sorry! It was weird," I laughed. "I didn't know where I was supposed to go!"

"Let's just stop talking about it," Jake suggested, and I laughed even harder. I didn't know why I had waited so long to have sex with him. It was fantastic. I had read articles and such about how a girl's first time doesn't always go so well, and they don't usually orgasm, but that certainly was not a problem. Jake definitely knew how to make me feel good. I almost didn't believe that he'd never done it before.

"We have got to be the most awkward-"

"Dani!" Jake warned, flipping over me so he was leaning on top. I stopped talking and looked up at him, trying not to laugh. "I love you," he shook his head and kissed me. "We'll get better," he promised.

"I don't think it could get any better," I smiled, biting my lip.

"I mean, our coordination needs some work…" Jake trailed and I looked at him.

"I thought we weren't talking about it?" I teased him. He chuckled.

"You're something else, Danielle. Something else," he rolled and went to get out of bed.

"Where are you going?" I whined. The bed was actually significantly colder without him there.

"The barbecue, do you wanna go?" I rolled my head back.

"Are you serious?" I asked him. There was no way he was serious. He shrugged. He was serious. "You're insane," I warned him.

"I need to talk to Sam, and it's better to do it in a public environment," he explained.

"So you're going to drag me to the barbecue and then leave me? I think we should practice our coordination instead," I suggested.

"I'm going to take a shower, get changed, and head over to the barbeque. If you want to join me, you can come with me, if not, you might want to take a nap or something to pass the time," he teased, walking away. I groaned, then got out of bed. I threw on one of Jake's old t-shirts and walked inside the bathroom where Jake was showering.

"Dani, what the hell?" He yelled in surprise as I stepped in beside him. I felt a little bad, as the shower was barely big enough for him, never mind the two of us, but I was hoping that it was going to be like the movies. That didn't happen either.

"Yeah, I was hoping this was going to be way sexier than it is," I apologized, moving behind him and hugging him from behind. It was weird.

"Come here," he said, moving me so I was in front of him again. He took some of Rachel's body wash and started massaging my shoulders. I leaned back into him and let the warmth consume me. It was wonderful.

"Are you gonna do this when I'm old and wrinkly?" I asked him, smiling. I didn't even care that the water was getting all over my face.

"We'll see what happens," he smiled. "So you're going to get all old and wrinkly?" He joked, poking me in the side. I jumped and slipped, and he had to catch me.

"Maybe not, if you keep that up," I said, shakily.

"You'll be fine," he smiled. "I got you."

"Maybe not if you keep that up, either," I joked. "I might combust."

"Seriously, though, you're not going to go all vamp on me?" He asked, moving some wet hair out of my face. I couldn't believe we were standing here in the shower naked and talking about my future as a human.

"I have no intentions of becoming a vampire, Jake. I don't want that for myself, I never have," I promised him. He nodded, bending over to kiss me.

We were still kissing when Billy came through the front door.

"Jake!" He hollered. We looked at each other, Jake put his finger to his lips, telling me to be quiet.

"Who's in the shower?" Billy called. Jake turned the water off, but signaled for me to still be quiet. I really didn't think Billy would care that much if he caught us, but Jake seemed to think otherwise.

"Remember me, Dad?" Jake teased, walking out of the bathroom in his towel. I neglected to bring one in with me, so I looked around, hoping to find one. I had no such luck, so I was stuck standing in the shower. Naked. What a sight.

"Where's Dani? She didn't run off on you, did she?" Billy teased. Jake shook his head.

"She's lying down," Jake lied. "Do you need something? I can go wake her up?"

"No, don't worry about it. Just make sure she doesn't get water all over the place like you're doing now," I heard Billy say. I shook my head, trying not to laugh. I could only imagine what Jake's face looked like right now.

"Don't say a word," Jake pointed, coming back into the bathroom. I was just sitting on the side of the bathtub, smiling like an idiot.

"Can you get me a towel, babe?" I asked him, putting my best puppy dog face on. He rolled his eyes and walked back out, returning moments later with a towel.

"You bombard me in the shower, and can't even remember to bring your own towel? You're such a rookie," Jake joked while I wrapped myself up. It was nice not being cold anymore.

"Did you even bring a change of clothes?" Jake asked. I smirked. I had slowly started bringing over spare clothes for our 'sleepovers' a while ago, Jake just never figured it out. I walked into his room and pulled out a bag that I kept under his bed. It had extra underwear, shirts, and some other important items.

"Damn, Dani," he said shocked and I smiled.

"I felt bad wearing your shirts all the time," I admitted, even though it wasn't entirely truthful. Just because I felt bad didn't mean I intended to stop wearing them. I loved wearing Jake's clothes.

"Get dressed," Jake shook his head and pulled out some clothes of his own. We used to take turns changing, but now that Jake had seen me naked and vice versa I didn't see the point of it anymore. Privacy was a thing of the past, and there was a liberation in that.

We put our clothes on and gathered ourselves before walking out to face Billy. He saw me and immediately started shaking his head.

"I love you Dani, you know I do, but we can't keep meeting like this," he warned. "I want to be the cool parent here, but you are making it very difficult."

"I'm sorry, Billy," I apologized, trying not to laugh. I knew this was serious.

"Don't make me get tough on you too," he said. "I'm gonna leave it at that, ya here me?"

"Yes, sir," I answered, and Jake mumbled the same from behind me.

"Now, Jake, you need to give me a ride over to Emily's place. Sue made enough for both families to be counted for the pot luck, and I'm sure Emily made enough to account for everyone."

"Will do, pops," he said and started wheeling Billy out. I was still nervous about going to the barbeque, but I knew I shouldn't be. If I could handle these past few weeks, I could handle anything.


	77. Alliance

ALLIANCE

"They hate me," I whispered to Jake. We had been here all of ten minutes and already I could feel the animosity. I was never really welcomed among the imprints, but this, this did it.

"They don't hate you," Jake argued, pulling me closer to him.

"Emily is the only one who has said anything to me and that's because she had to," I pointed out. Never mind that what she said was a quick greeting and then ran off like she had something to tend to, which she didn't.

"It's not because they hate you," Jake promised. "It's because things are different now that we're in two different packs. It's what I need to talk to Sam about," he explained.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," I whined. We shouldn't have come.

"It'll be fine," Jake sighed. I didn't leave his side.

"Hey Jake!" Quil came over, Claire attached to his hip. Usually she was on his shoulders, but the ceiling was a major problem there.

"Jake!" Claire squealed. It made me remember our time on the beach. The time before everything fell apart.

"Hey, Dani," Quil smiled. "How are you holding up?" He asked.

"I'm okay, thanks for asking," I told him. I wasn't expecting any sympathy. Jake rubbed my arm.

"How is Bella?" He asked. Quil always liked Bella.

"We're just waiting for right now," Jake explained so I didn't have to. I didn't want to think about her like that. Jake understood.

"It's tough," he nodded. "We miss you, Jake," Quil admitted.

"I miss you guys, too. I'm sorry this all went down like it did," Jake apologized. I leaned my head on his shoulders.

"Sam didn't mean anything by it, Jake. He was trying to protect us, man. We didn't know what was going on," Quil tried to explain.

"I couldn't just sit by and let that happen, Quil, you know that," Jake growled. I looked up at him. _Don't start another fight because of me._

"I know, man. I probably would have done the same thing if it was Claire. I just wish everyone else saw it that way. Paul and Jared are kind of pissed at you."

"Yeah, well, the feeling's mutual. For Paul, at least."

"Just, talk to Sam. Embry and I, it's different without you here, man," Quil said. It wasn't long before Claire was squealing again. I smiled a little. It was hard seeing the pack so divided like this.

"Jake," a voice boomed from behind us. We turned around to see Sam standing there. It didn't look like he was expecting us.

"Sam," Jake nodded. I squeezed his hand.

"Let's talk," Sam gestured towards the door. Jake went to move and I latched onto his arm instinctually. I didn't know if I could let him go.

"It's okay, Dani," Jake promised, smirking. I looked at him.

"Dani, can you come help me in the kitchen?" I heard Emily ask. I sighed, took another look at Jacob, and then walked into the small kitchen where Emily was getting the last of the things ready to bring out to the barbeque.

"You don't need to be nice to me," I whispered from the doorway. "I know you all hate me."

Emily looked aghast. "Dani, we don't hate you," she tried to defend, but I shook my head.

"I messed everything up. I always mess everything up," I explained. Emotions from the past few days started rushing in, and I tried hard to get them to stop, but they wouldn't.

"I shouldn't be here, I'm sorry," I gasped, trying to escape before I fell apart. The past few hours with Jake had been wonderful, but it was merely a distraction from all of the things that were going on.

"Dani, I am so glad you came," Emily walked over to me and pulled me into a hug. "I am so happy to see you," she said, squeezing tight. I didn't deserve this.

"Why? I broke apart the pack. I'm the vampire girl. I go against everything you all stand for. I just keep causing you all trouble and putting everyone in danger," I confessed. I was glad Jake wasn't here, because he would have none of this. He would just argue with me about it.

"You're an anomaly, that's for sure," Emily agreed, nodding, "but you're my sister. We're both the imprints of great alphas," she explained. "Sam is going to ask Jake for an alliance. They won't be fighting, instead, they'll be working together. This divide was inevitable, Dani. The pack was growing too large. This is a good thing," she promised, smiling.

"The pack is growing too large because of my family," I complained.

"Yes, but they would be here anyway. This story would have happened without you, Dani. We would still be here. Instead, I get to have someone who understands exactly what I mean when I say my husband is an alpha pain in the ass," she joked. I laughed a little bit.

"There you are," she smiled. "Now seriously, help me bring some of this food outside," she directed, going back into her mom role.

I carried the condiments outside and smiled, seeing everyone so happy. I knew that as stressful as it was on my end, it was almost equally as stressful on theirs. At least we had communication.

"You okay?" Jake asked, coming up behind me, causing me to jump. I smiled and nodded, leaning up against him again. The air was changing to the colder months and I was glad I would be able to snuggle more. It wasn't easy to watch a movie on the couch or snuggle with someone who radiated over 100 degrees when it was nearly that hot externally. I dealt with it, of course, but was grateful that I wasn't going to have to undress just to be comfortable around my boyfriend. _Your fiancée_ , I reminded myself.

"How was your talk with Sam?" I asked, truly interested.

"It went how I expected. He's being apologetic, and I understand, but there's still stuff we need to work through. It's hard to forgive him for making it an order to kill your family, you know."

"I forgive him, if that helps," I told Jake, seriously. He looked at me like I was crazy.

"If it were you in his position," I explained, "If you didn't love me like you did, as an imprint, you would have sided with him. It was the right call. With that said, I'm glad you didn't let him kill everyone I love," I smiled, pecking him on the cheek. He turned around and kissed me on the lips. I saw Billy roll into view and quickly pushed back, and Billy just laughed and rolled his eyes. He really was the cool parent.

"He's just jealous," Jake teased. "The old man wishes he could have as much action as this."

"You can't say that about your dad!" I pushed him, barely doing any damage.

"Have you seen him and Sue? I think I can," Jake laughed, and it sounded like a seal.

"Jake!" I gasped. I couldn't even imagine talking about my mom and dad this way. I didn't even want to _think_ of them that way.

"It's weird, how intertwined our families are. Billy and Sue, you and me, Seth and Nessie…" Jake trailed.

"Nessie? Like, the Loch Ness Monster?" I scoffed, joking. Bella was going to _love_ that.

"Yeah, it's what Seth's been calling her. I guess it's just stuck in my head. Renesmee's a bit of a mouth full. You're sister in law is kind of nuts," Jake said. I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, but I'm glad she's going to make it out of this alive," I admitted. There have been times when I didn't want her in my life, but I have never wanted her dead.

"I'm doing a bad job of distracting you," Jake mumbled.

"Well, you know what the best way to distract me is?"

"More sex?" Jake asked, hopeful. I glared at him.

"No, dummy," I stuck my tongue out. "Food."

"Sure, sure," he smiled, and we walked over to grab some barbecue.

* * *

All of the imprints and members of the two packs – minus Seth and Renesmee – were here with their families around the fire. It was a large fire that the boys built, and it was nice to see our family together again. Leah looked miserable, but what else was new.

"You doing okay?" Jake asked. I nodded. It was extremely hot near the fire, but I didn't want to leave Jake's side. I had abandoned my sweat shirt a long time ago.

"You should make a speech, oh wise one," I smirked. "You're a great alpha, now. You need to lead your people."

"I'll let Sam make the speech," Jake rolled his eyes. "If you get too hot, let me know."

"I will. Can you actually get me some more water, babe?" I asked him. He nodded and snuck out from under me.

It was quiet for a little while longer before Sam stood up, and the packs started cheering.

"These past few weeks have been filled with challenges for all of us," he began. Jake came and handed me a bottle of water. I leaned back into him.

"We have all fought a great fight, and we have protected those who need protection. Since our people began, the Quileute Shapeshifters have been the security for the tribe. It has been one pack, families unified to fight our one true enemy. Today, we begin a new era in our history. Stories that will be told to our children, and to our grandchildren, and so on. The story of how one pack became two packs. Led by two great alphas," Sam pointed to Jake, who stood up. Cheers erupted.

"We will continue to fight, not only our enemies, but against anyone who threatens the safety of those we love. This alliance will allow us to maintain the safety of Quileute Nation while not draining our resources. With that said, the new packs are the following."

"For the Uley Pack," Jacob began, "Sam Uley – Alpha. Jared Cameron – Beta. Paul Lahote. Brady Fuller. Lastly, Collin Littlesea."

"For the Black Pack," Sam said with a serious face, and I started to chuckle. Jake gave me a disapproved look but I couldn't help myself. I was going to give him hell for this later. "Jacob Black – Alpha. Leah Clearwater – Beta. Seth Clearwater. Embry Call. Lastly, Quil Ateara V." I expected him to end there and turn it back over to Sam, but he continued. "Both packs have five members. This demonstrates equality between the two packs. No one pack shall have more power over the other. Our packs are brothers, born of the same father pack. We may fight, as brothers do, but the alliance will still hold. In addition to these packs, there is one more important alliance." Jake looked at me, and I looked at him confused.

"The nearby vampire coven, the Cullen Family, has proven to the Black Pack that they are worthy of trust," Sam took over again. "While we are still weary of this alliance, we have worked together in the past and look forward to working with them in the future. The Black Pack and the Cullen Coven are intertwined through the ancient imprint tradition, and therefore, are our strongest allies outside of the reservation. Our current representative from the Cullen Coven is Danielle Cullen. A human who is the imprint of Alpha Jacob Black. She will testify to her family's alliance."

Jake nodded at me and I stood up, not knowing what I was going to say. I wasn't expecting to have to speak on my entire family's behalf. I didn't even know most of the story.

"There is a longstanding treaty between the Quileute Shapeshifters and my family," I began, trying to wrap my head around what was happening. "My family, until recently, has followed the guidelines of the treaty without complaint. A weeks ago, an emergency situation occurred and the lines between us were challenged. Some of you put faith in my family, and for that I thank you," I smiled at Leah and Jake. "For those who didn't, we don't blame you. We understand how difficult it is to be forced to defend your enemies. With that said, our relationship with the Black Pack has grown strong. I, a daughter of Carlisle Cullen, the leader of the Cullen Coven, have fallen head over heels in love with Jacob Black, the Alpha for the Black Pack. Additionally, Renesmee, the new daughter of Edward and Bella Cullen, is the imprint of Seth Clearwater, another member of the Black Pack. Because of these imprints, there is no question that our people will forever be connected. I am here today to promise that they are no danger to you or your people. I want the relationship between the Cullen Coven and Uley Pack to be equally as strong as the relationship between the Cullen Coven and the Black Pack. I want all three alliances to be strong, because that is how we can protect not only the people of the Quileute Tribe, but also the people of Forks." I looked at Jake, and he nodded. I sat back down.

"Great job," Emily whispered in my ear. I smiled at her. I couldn't believe that just happened.

"With that said, the treaty created so long ago will uphold," Sam announced, visibly calming some of the members of the bonfire. "Danielle and Renesmee, both at least partially human, will be the only members of the Cullen Coven allowed on the reservation without an Alpha's permission. The other guidelines of the treaty regarding treatment of humans will also be upheld," Sam looked at me in warning.

"We thank you all for being here tonight, for the unification of these three groups," Jake spoke again. "Protection is our priority, and we hope that this helps to clear some of the questions and uncertainties of the past weeks."

A chorus of "Thank you"s went around and Jake and Sam fielded some questions. I looked over at Emily.

"So this is what being an Alpha's imprint is like?" I asked her. She nodded.

"Just wait until he makes you go to the tribal council meetings," she pointed out. I groaned. I didn't think Jake wanted to go to those any more than I did, but the thought of being surrounded by people who didn't approve of my family was terrifying.

"Hey beautiful," Jake appeared behind me. "You did great," he kissed the top of my head.

"Thanks for the heads up," I mumbled. "You could have warned me I was going to be representing my family to a council."

"First of all, we're technically not a council. Second of all, what would you have done differently?"

"I don't know, worn a better shirt or something…" I trailed. Jake rolled his eyes.

"I'm not even wearing a shirt. You're fine. It was great," He smiled, sitting beside me and pulling me onto his lap. "We can leave whenever you want, you know." He pointed out, noticing that my eyes were drooping. It had to have been close to midnight by now.

"I'm fine," I tried to fake, but a yawn gave me away.

"We'll stay until 11:00, how about that?" Jake promised, playing with my hand. I looked up at him.

"11:00? What time is it now?" I pulled out my phone. It was only 10:30. "Yikes."

"Yeah. By the way you don't have to go to school tomorrow," Jake smiled. I stuck my tongue out.

"I'll have to go back at some point. People are worried. I wasn't there, and then I was there, it's all confusing. I'm never going to graduate."

"You're smart, you'll catch up," Jake sighed. "They still want you to apply to college?"

"Yup. I told them I'm staying local, though. No way am I going to risk being that far away."

"Have you ever thought about that as a good thing?" Jake questioned, and I squinted at him. Was he crazy?

"Why would being away from you be a good thing?" I asked him.

"Not me, but them. They're going to have to move sooner or later, Dani, and you've never been away from them before. At least if you went to school a little bit farther you'd know what it's like to be without them so when they did move away it didn't hurt as much."

"That's not an option, Jake," I warned him, and hoped he would let it go. He was right, though. I'd never been away from home for more than a week, and never without someone from my family. It would physically damage me to be away from Jake, but to leave them behind, it was inevitable.

"What about WSU?" Jake asked. I nodded.

"I'm going to apply there and University of Washington. I'm not leaving the state, don't worry," I smiled.

"It's a big state," he sighed.

"You can visit every day," I promised. He nodded.

"I could spend some time in Seattle," he shrugged. I smiled and let my eyes close. Leaning on Jacob was better than any bed. I didn't wake up again until I felt him leave my side once we got to the truck.

"Jake?" I questioned groggily.

"You're okay, I just need to help Billy. We'll be home soon," he kissed me on the forehead. I nodded and fell back asleep. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.


	78. Ryan

RYAN

"Are you sure you want to go back?" Jake asked me as I packed my bags. I nodded.

"Bella will be waking up soon, I want to be there," I explained. He gave me a weird look.

"Do you even know what you just said?" He pulled me away from my packing and looked me in the eyes.

"Yes, Bella will be waking up soon, and I want to be there," I told him straight. I tried to push around him and get to my things, but he was being stubborn.

"She's going to be a new vampire, Dani. She's going to have no control. There's no way you're going anywhere near her. Not before-"

"Before what, Jake?" I cut him off, challenging him. He had a point, but I wasn't letting my guard down. No one would let anything happen to me.

"Before I get a chance to talk to her," he admitted. "I need to make sure you're safe, Dani," he sighed.

"I will be," I promised, "But I need to go home, Jake. It's my home," I looked at him sadly. We didn't say anything for a few minutes, and then I thought of a compromise.

"I'll text Alice. If Bella isn't awake yet, we'll go back so I can get some more clothes. If she is, and Alice says it's not safe, I'll stay here and deal with it. I don't know how these things work, and neither do you, but she does. She won't let me come back if there's any danger," I promised Jake. He didn't like the idea, but he agreed to it. I sent Alice a text.

 _How much longer? Can I come home yet? Xoxo – Dani._

 _Not much longer – I can see her easily now. It's not a good idea for you to be home when she wakes up, you'll hurt her. If you need things, someone can bring them to the line for you. – Alice_

I looked at the phone. Great, they were taking Jake's side. My phone started ringing.

"Hello?" I asked, a little annoyed. I shouldn't be, they were right. Still, it always annoyed me when my own house was the one place I wasn't allowed to be.

"Hello sweetie," it was mom.

"Hi mom, what's up?" I asked her.

"Alice said you needed me to bring some things for you?"

"I just want to go home, Mom," I told her. "It's not really about the things."

"I know, sweetie, but it's hard to understand. It's better for everyone if you just stay with Jake for a few more days until we are able to figure out what Bella can handle."

I didn't say anything, but I heard her sigh on the other end. "Danielle, we love you and we miss you, but we need to know you're safe."

"And what if Bella can't handle being around humans? What are you going to do about the baby? Are you going to ship her away, too?"

"We don't know what's going to happen, angel," Mom said, a little more sternly. "Rosalie and Seth are taking care of the baby. Jake is taking care of you. We need to take care of Bella."

"Alice said it would hurt her if I came home too soon, is that true?" Mom didn't answer. "Mom," I begged her.

"It would be painful, yes." She answered finally.

"Physically? Mentally?" I pleaded.

"Physically. It would be like swallowing fire."

"Because of my blood," I pushed.

"Yes."

"Is that what it has been like living with me? For Jasper? Like eating fire for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?" I was tearing up, knowing how much pain my family has been through because of me. Jake tried to wrap me in his arms, knowing I was getting upset, but I pushed him off and curled up in a chair.

"It's different with us, sweetie, we're more used to being around humans. It's much worse as a newborn," Mom explained. It didn't make me feel any better. I knew from her answer that it was still painful for them.

"We chose you, angel," Mom tried to remind me. She knew that I was upset. I really wanted to go home.

"I want to come home, Mom," I pleaded. She sighed.

"I know. As soon as possible, I will make sure you are able to come home," she promised. That was good enough for now, I guess.

We talked a little bit more about what she was going to bring and when she was going to be able to go to the line, but the conversation died out fairly quickly. There wasn't much else to talk about.

"Is she going to drive over?" Jake asked when I hung up the phone.

"It's not like you didn't overhear the whole conversation," I rolled my eyes at him. "I need a ride."

"Hey, I'm not the one you're mad at," Jake defended, grabbing my arm. I pulled away from him.

"No, but you're the one who's here," I said and stomped off to go take a shower.

* * *

Jake drove me to the line and my mom was waiting with a bag of clean clothes for me. We talked for a little bit, but not long. I could tell she wanted to get back. She looked sad that I was upset, but I couldn't help it. I tried to put on a smile for her, but she saw through me. Nothing she said was going to make it better.

"What do you want to do today, Dani?" Jake asked on the way back. "We could go to the beach, we could go to the movies, we could hang out at Emily's…" Jake trailed.

"Actually, can you bring me to school?" I asked softly. It was a Friday, and I had already missed half of the day, but I needed something to take my mind off of the fact that I couldn't be in my own house right now.

"Are you sure?" Jake asked, grabbing my hand. I nodded.

"I'm sorry, I just need some space," I sighed. I knew I was hurting him. I was hurting everyone today.

"It's okay, I get it. What time should I pick you up?" he asked, turning the car around.

"I might go out with Marianna afterwards, so I'll text you when I know," I promised him, squeezing his hand.

"Are you mad at me?" He asked, sadly.

"No," I smiled softly. "There's just a lot of things that aren't normal about what's happening, and I need something normal. I need routine again."

"Okay," he nodded.

* * *

Jake dropped me off at school and I had to look through my phone to find out what class I was supposed to be in. I was walking through the hallway when I bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, helping him pick up a pencil he dropped. He got up and smiled.

"No, the fault is all mine," he apologized. His eyes were a piercing blue and his hair was almost as light as mine.

"I'm Ryan," he introduced himself, holding out his hand. "I just moved here this year. I'm a senior."

"I'm Danielle," I held out my hand for him.

"She's also unavailable, man," Tyler came up behind me, rolling his eyes. I honestly half expected it to be Jacob.

"Hey, Ty," I smiled at him. He smiled back, but was still half-glaring at Ryan.

"Sorry man, didn't know she was yours," Ryan held his hands up. "I just can't resist such beautiful eyes," he winked at me. I smirked.

"Dude, trust me. The guy she's with is a hell of a lot scarier than I am. Come on, we've got to get to class," Tyler pointed towards the English department. I wondered why Tyler had been tasked with showing this new stranger around.

A few moments later, I got a text from Tyler: _This kid is bad news. Like lvl 8 creep. Stay far far away._

 _Is there a story?_ I asked him. Tyler didn't respond, probably afraid he'd tip Ryan off. I shrugged it off and went to my Calculus class.

"Miss Cullen, nice to see you'll be joining us today. I'm assuming you'll be able to catch up with the rest of the class?" Mr. Schwartz asked. I nodded. Someone would be able to help me. We were still in the first week of school, anyways.

 _How r u doing? Need me 2 spring u?_ It was Jake. I smiled.

 _I'm ok_ _J_ _Can't wait to see you later 3_

 _Me 2_

"Miss Cullen, you are not in the position to be texting during my class," Mr. Schwartz pointed out. I rolled my eyes and turned my phone off. It was like this in all of my classes. The teachers all knew that I was the one Cullen they could make an example out of, so they picked on me.

* * *

"I didn't know you came in today!" I heard Mariana squeal from the hallway. We were on our way to our last period: chorus. It was going to be weird without last year's seniors there.

"I didn't know I was coming in, either," I smiled. It was the truth.

"How is Bella?" Mari asked. I nodded.

"Much better. How's Angela liking college?" I changed the subject.

"She loves it. She misses home, of course, but she's already getting super involved on campus. She's a rock star," Mariana announced proudly. The two of them were as different as fire and ice, but they loved each other. I'd never seen them fight, unlike Tyler and Mike, who fought constantly.

"That's great," I agreed. I always knew Angela would do well.

* * *

"Dani, wait up!" I heard someone call from behind me. I turned around and saw Ryan.

"Hey, Ryan," I smiled. "Do you need help with something?"

"I do, actually," he chuckled uncertainly. "You've got quite the reputation around here, Dani," he smiled. It was creepy.

"Thanks?" I asked, looking around. Hopefully Jake would be here soon.

"I was hoping we could grab a coffee sometime? I'd like to get to know you some more," Ryan offered. "I'd pay, of course."

"Ryan, that's really sweet," I said, and noticed Jake's car pull up. I let out a sigh of relief. "But like Tyler said, I'm taken. You've only known me for a few hours, trust me, I'm not what you're looking for." Jake's car horn beeped, and I waved at him, letting him know I was coming.

"On the contrary, Danielle, I think you're exactly what I'm looking for," he smiled, and it made me even more uncomfortable. "I'll be seeing you around, Dani," he winked. I gave him a hesitant smile and walked over to where Jake was sitting.

"Hey baby," he smiled when I got in the car. "How was your day?"

"Fine until a few minutes ago," I murmured, watching Ryan stalk off to the direction of his own car. It was a Cadillac Escalade, definitely not something the average Forks High School student would drive.

"Who is that guy?" Jake asked, pulling out of the parking lot. I shrugged.

"Some new kid named Ryan, Tyler was showing him around earlier," I mentioned.

"That's marshmallow's brother, right?" Jake commented.

"Marshmallow?" I teased. Jake rolled his eyes.

"That Mike kid Bella used to hang out with. He's a marshmallow," Jake teased. I laughed. Tyler would love hearing that.

"Yeah, Tyler is Mike's brother. He would agree with you, by the way," I pointed out.

"So do you know anything else about this Ryan kid?" Jake pressed. I shook my head.

"No, but trust me, I'll be staying away from him. He was all over me today," I mumbled before I could stop myself. I saw Jake tense up, and I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"Trust me, I told him I was happily swept off my feet a long time ago," I charmed, batting my eye lashes. Jake chuckled.

"It hasn't even been a year, babe, but thanks," Jake smiled. We turned, and I realized we weren't going back to the reservation.

"Where are you going?" I questioned him. He was driving the way he would to go… "Oh my God, you're taking me home," I realized, eyes widening like a child who was about to meet Santa.

"Yup, Bella's awake. She's killing Bambi as we speak, so you have a short window to see everyone and then bug out," Jake directed. If a small window was what I had, a small window was what I would take.

"Thank you," I smiled, larger than I had all day. Jake wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"Anything for my girl," he winked. I kissed him on the cheek.


	79. Natural

NATURAL

"Please stop bouncing your leg," Jacob begged for what had to have been the tenth or so time this car ride. I couldn't help myself, I was nervous.

"Have you seen her?" I asked him. Jake shook his head.

"No," he confirmed. "Seth called me and said she was on her way out with Edward. Apparently she's even more of a freak now that she's a bloodsucker."

"What does that mean? Does she have a talent?" I asked eagerly, wanting to know everything.

"I don't know, babe," Jake laughed. "You need to calm down."

"I'm sorry," I apologized. He was right. "Is everyone else around?"

"Dani," Jake turned to look at me. "Relax," he whispered. I nodded. Okay. Relax, Dani.

* * *

We pulled into the driveway and I saw the heard of vehicles. Jake's rabbit was nothing compared to the army of classic and remodeled cars that belonged to my sister. My family had a problem.

"Home sweet home," Jake mumbled. I got out and ran around to his side. He held me close, as always.

"Thank you," I kissed him, smiling.

"Anything for you, babe," he teased, nudging me. I quickly walked up the driveway and into the house. I was surprised when I saw that the living room had been put completely back together and there was no sign that anything had happened. That is, except for the slew of baby toys that had taken over.

"Holy shit," I stopped when I entered the house. Upon hearing my voice, several members of my family came downstairs.

"Welcome home, my angel," Mom smiled, embracing me. I hugged her back. Dad was behind her.

"Hey guys," I smiled. It was a much better atmosphere than the last time I was home. Everyone was happy again. There wasn't a worry in the world.

"Dani!" Alice called from the stairway, rushing down. Jasper was behind her, as usual. She hugged me – way too tight.

"Alice," I choked. She immediately let go.

"Sorry!" She apologized. "I missed you," she shrugged. I nodded, hugging her this time. I smiled over at Jasper.

"Hey bro," I smirked. He nodded back. It was good to be home. It was good to be normal.

I heard a baby start crying from a nearby room, but it didn't sound like a newborn. I looked to where the sound was coming from, and my family smiled knowingly. Rosalie came out with the baby, and Seth followed closely behind.

"That's not Renesmee…?" I asked shocked. This baby had to have been at least a month old. This was not the newborn I held in my arms earlier this week.

"It is," Rosalie smiled. "Do you want to hold her?"

"I…" I stuttered, backing into Jacob. I didn't know if I _could_. All of the memories came rushing back to me.

"She wants you to hold her," Rosalie pushed. Seth nodded in agreement.

"She's been asking for you. You and Bella," Seth affirmed.

"Asking?" I whispered softly.

"You'll see," Rosalie comforted.

"It's okay, Dani," Alice encouraged from behind. I nodded and held out my arms.

"No biting, Nessie," Seth warned as Rose handed her over. Jake led me to a seat in the living room, afraid I might fall or something. I was grateful, because I couldn't feel anything right now. I looked down into Renesmee's big brown eyes, and they looked remarkably like Bella's. She held her hand up to my face, then looked at Rosalie. Rose nodded.

All of a sudden my vision went blank, and I was in a woman's arms. This woman was covered in blood and was pouring water on my head. She was crying. I recognized the woman as myself after a moment. There was so much love.

"You okay?" I heard Jake whisper beside me. I nodded up at him. Yeah, I was okay. I smiled at the baby in my arms.

"I'm looking a little better than that today, huh?" I joked with her. She smiled. "Yeah, I'm your aunt Dani, and this is Uncle Jake," I pointed to my fiancée beside me. He smiled, too. Renesmee's hand went back up to my face and I awaited the next vision. It was the same thing she showed me when I was washing her when she was a newborn. It was Bella before she…yeah. It was Bella.

"I don't know where your Mommy is," I said sadly. "She's okay, though," I tried to convince her. She didn't look to pleased with my response and chomped down on my hand. It was much harder than when she was a newborn, and it hurt.

"Holy-" I started at the same time Rosalie scolded Renesmee and picked her up from my arms. Dad was immediately by my side, checking the wound. It was almost identical to the other one that hadn't completely healed yet either.

"Renesmee, you can't do that to her, sweetie. It hurts her," I heard Rosalie mumble beside me. Jake was rubbing my back. Dad disappeared for a second and came back with cleaning supplies and bandages. He took care of the cut quickly, then checked the area for blood.

"I guess she's not venomous," I tried to joke, but Jake gave me a look that said that he wasn't amused.

"Fortunately not," Dad answered, finishing up with my injury. "As she gets older she'll understand."

"She knows it doesn't hurt us, she doesn't understand why it hurts you," Rosalie explained. "She doesn't know that you're different, yet. She'll learn."

"She better," Jake growled from beside me, earning glares from most of my family.

"Hey guys," Alice spoke up again. "Bella's on her way back. She wants to see Renesmee."

"Can I stay?" I begged my dad. "She just hunted, she'll be fine," I promised. "You guys won't let her hurt me."

"Dani," Jake shook his head beside me. I ignored him. This was Dad's call.

"I don't know love, it's up to her. It could really hurt her being around a human right now," Dad reminded me. Oh yeah.

"Is it wrong to ask her?" I asked around. They understood what she was going through.

"She would love to see you," Alice nodded.

"She's got a remarkable sense of control," Dad mused as well. "We'll ask. Edward will have a stronger opinion, I'm sure."

"I want to talk to her first," Jake spoke up. "If she's going anywhere near Dani, I need to know she can handle it."

"Her own daughter is blood, Jake," I groaned. "If she were any danger she wouldn't be allowed to see Renesmee either."

"Seth," Jake looked for backup. Seth shrugged.

"Bella's got this, man," Seth promised. Jake shook his head.

"I'm talking to her first," he declared.

"You're a pain in the ass," I rolled my eyes. He glared at me, giving me no room to argue.

"If you're going to meet them, you better go now," Alice warned. "She's not going to like this."

"She's not going to like the idea that Seth imprinted on Nessie either," Jasper warned.

"Or that you all nicknamed her daughter Nessie," I scoffed, laughing.

"More reasons why we should beat it," Jake mumbled as he went out to the back yard. I rolled my eyes.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my extremely overprotective boyfriend," I announced. It got a few giggles from those around me, including Renesmee.

"You think that's funny Chomper?" I called her.

"You know, from _The Land Before Time_?" I explained to the confused vampires in the room. "The baby T-Rex?"

"Sure, Dani," Emmett joked, trying to ease the awkwardness. I knew they knew what I was talking about; I watched those movies a thousand times when I was little. "Come on, let's go watch the show," Emmett encouraged. Seth gave Renesmee one last kiss on the forehead before taking the lead. As overprotective as Jake was, I could only imagine what Seth was feeling. Jake was used to sharing me with vampires, plus, I could protect myself. Chomper was helpless.

We walked out just in time for the fun.

* * *

"Huh, I can see what everyone's been going on about," Bella joked. "You stink, Jacob." Edward burst into laughter, and Seth joined him. Leah, who was in wolf form retreated several paces. She must have been ready in case Bella couldn't handle it.

"Look who's talking," Jake threw back at her, theatrically plugging his nose.

"Look who's talking," Jacob said, theatrically plugging his nose.

"Okay, so I passed, right?" Bella asked, looking around. She stopped when she saw me. "Dani," she smiled. Jasper took a step towards me, in case Bella attacked.

"Hey Bells," I smiled softly. This was the first time I had seen her as a vampire. Jake spun around quickly, and looked furious that I had come out here. "She's fine, Jake. She passed the test. I'm not gonna get any closer," I promised. He turned back to Bella.

"You look good, Dani," Bella smiled, taking a step closer. Jake got in her way.

"I don't like this. Maybe we should wait-"

"Let her see her daughter, Jake," I told him. I didn't have to raise my voice at all, even though I was yards away. I knew he could hear me.

"Renesmee," Bella whispered. She looked at Edward.

"Come and see," he murmured to here. "I know you can handle this."

"You'll help me?" She was so scared of hurting us.

"Of course I will," Edward promised. Jake was tensing up. Seth looked more relaxed, and I wasn't really sure what that meant. I knew Jake's personality was far different from Seth's. Seth was far more comfortable with my family than even Jake was. He probably trusted their ability to control Bella more than Jake did.

"We'll take care of you Bella. Don't worry, we'll be ready," Jasper said from beside me. "None of us would risk Renesmee. I think you'll be surprised at how entirely she's already wrapped us all around her little fingers. She'll be perfectly safe, no matter what," he promised. "Dani too," he said again, more for Jacob than for anyone else, I think. If he wasn't so close to Bella, I would have gone to stand by him. I knew though that that would set him off more than anything.

"You had your test, Jacob," Edward growled.

"It's up to Seth," Jake growled. Seth looked at him like he didn't want to get involved.

"Bella needs to see our daughter," Edward emphasized, glaring at Seth and Jake. "Get out of her way." Jake shook his head and ran up to where I was. Seth followed Bella closely.

"You need to relax," I told Jake, rubbing my hands up and down his arms. He was shaking. He didn't respond. When Bella walked by, he pushed me behind him. I sent her an apologetic smile. I knew she understood.

"I was out just two days?" Bella gasped, having the same reaction I did. Renesmee, seing her mother, reached her hand up to touch Rosalie's neck.

"Yes, that's her," Rosalie whispered to her. Renesmee's eyes locked with Bella's. It was something spectacular. Suddenly, everyone moved quickly. I was flung behind Jacob with him nearly ripping my arm out of the socket.

"Ouch, Jake," I mumbled, rubbing my shoulder.

"Oh, give her some credit," Alice chided from the doorway. "She wasn't going to do anything. You'd want a closer look too."

"I'm okay," Bella promised. I was as far away from her as possible while still in the same room. She looked over at me and then at my brothers, who were right beside her. "Keep close though, just in case," she whispered.

"Jazz, Em, let us through. Bella's got this," Edward promised, taking his hands off of his wife.

"Edward, the risk-" Jasper argued, but Edward shook his head.

"Minimal. Listen Jasper – on the hunt she caught the scent of some hikers who were in the wrong place at the wrong time…" I heard my dad suck in a sharp breath from the corner, and Jake growled beside me.

"That's it, we're out of here," he mumbled, grabbing my arms and practically dragging me out. Seth grimaced next to Renesmee.

"Jake!" I yelled at him, trying to fight him. Renesmee whimpered at the disarray, but Rosalie was quietly consoling her. She quieted quickly. It was odd.

"Edward!" I heard my dad chastise. "How could you be so irresponsible?" Bella killed someone, and it made me sicker than I expected.

"I know, Carlisle, I know. I was just plain stupid. I should have taken the time to make sure we were in a safe zone before I set her loose." Jake was still trying to lead me out of the room, and I was still fighting him.

"Edward," Bella mumbled, clearly embarrassed.

"He's absolutely right to rebuke me, Bella," Edward grinned. "I made a huge mistake. The fact that you are stronger than anyone I've ever known doesn't change that."

"Tasteful joke, Edward," Alice rolled her eyes.

"So you didn't kill the hikers?" I asked for clarification.

"Nope," Edward smiled proudly and I stuck my tongue out at Jacob, finally getting him to release me. "And I wasn't making a joke. I was explaining to Jasper why I know Bella can handle this. She's already doing so well with Dani," Edward pointed out. "It's not my fault that everyone jumped to conclusions."

"So she didn't hunt the humans," Jasper repeated my earlier questions.

"She started to," Edward said, and I felt Jake's hands on me again. I let out a frustrated sigh. "She was entirely focused on the hunt."

"What happened?" Dad interjected, completely interested. I had never seen him like this before.

"She heard me behind her and reacted defensively. As soon as my pursuit broke into her concentration, she snapped right out of it. I've never seen anything equal to her. She realized at once what was happening, and then…she held her breath and ran away."

"Whoa," Emmett murmured. "That explains why she hasn't taken a bite out of Dani yet," he mused. I glared at him, and Jake growled.

"He's not telling it right," Bella muttered, more embarrassed than before. "He left out the part where I growled at him."

"Did ya get in a couple of good swipes?" Emmett asked eagerly. Bella looked horrified.

"No! Of course not," she defended.

"No, not really? You really didn't attack him?" Emmett pressed.

"Emmett!" She protested.

"Aw, what a waste," Emmett groaned, folding his arms. "And here you're probably the one person who could take him – since he can't get in your head to cheat – and you had a perfect excuse, too," he sighed. "I've been dying to see how he'd do without that advantage."

"I would never," Bella glared at him, then looked at Jasper and calmed herself.

"You see what I mean?" Edward teased Jazz. Jasper just shook his head.

"It's not natural," Jasper muttered. "She could have turned on you – she's only hours old! She should not be able to handle being in a room with a human!" He lamented. A few pairs of eyes turned to me.

"Jazz, this isn't anything you've seen before," Alice said quietly. "Trust me." Their eyes met for a second, and then Jasper nodded. He moved out of the way, but put one hand on Bella's shoulder as she walked closer to Renesmee. As she moved, so did I, and so did my body guards. Emmett and Jacob stayed in front of me and kept pushing me farther and farther away. Renesmee reached out to her mom, starting to cry again.

"What's the matter? Is she hurt? What happened?" Seth began doting over her immediately. Rosalie surrendered her to him without a fight.

"No, she's fine," Rosalie reassured him. "See?" Rosalie pointed out as Renesmee reached for Bella. "She just wants her momma," she cooed.

"She wants me?" Bella whispered.

"She's been waiting for you for almost three days," Edward told Bella.

"Seth, it's okay," Bella promised as she held out her arms for her daughter. Seth was shaking. Finally I could see some of that imprint overprotectiveness shining. Jake had relaxed a little bit now that it seemed Bella was preoccupied. Seth reluctantly handed her over, but never backed away. Renesmee's hand immediately went up to Bella's cheek.

"See? It's okay, baby," I whispered to Jake. "Bella's a natural," I smiled. Jake didn't look convinced.

"What was that?" Bella choked out after a few moments.

"What did you see?" Rosalie asked curiously, leaning around Seth. "What did she show you?"

"She showed me that?" Bella whispered.

"I told you it was hard to explain," Edward murmured, "but effective as means of communications go."

"Your kid's a freak, Bella, just like you," I teased, and Edward glared. I winked at him. _I'm just kidding. Everyone's so tense…_ I defended. He shook his head. _Okay, no more jokes. Got it._

"What was it?" Seth asked.

"Um…Me…I think," Bella tried to explain. "But I looked terrible."

"It was the only memory she had of you," Edward explained. I instantly knew what Renesmee showed her. It was the same image of Bella she kept showing me. It was an image I had been trying to erase from my head for days now, but it never completely went away.

"She's letting you know that she's made the connection, that she knows who you are," Edward told her.

"But how did she do that?" Bella asked.

"How do I hear thoughts? How does Alice see the future?" Edward paused for a moment, and smiled. "She's gifted."

"It's an interesting twist," Dad told Edward. "Like she's doing the exact opposite of what you can."

"Interesting," Edward agreed. "I wonder…" _Nerds_ , I added in my head. By the sound of Emmett's laughter, however, I knew that the thought hadn't stayed in my head. Bella was talking quietly to baby Renesmee. Everyone was staring at her. At least most people seemed to have calmed down now that she proved herself. I knew that I should probably leave soon. Bella was probably in a lot of pain.

"She's fine," Alice murmured. I knew she wasn't exclusively talking to me.

"I think she's ready for a nap," Seth cooed. "Maybe we should take a break." Renesmee certainly did _not_ look ready for a nap. I knew he was using it as an excuse to get Renesmee out of Bella's hands, he was just trying to be polite about it. Jake perked up at the request.

"She's fine, Seth," Bella argued. Seth looked visibly uncomfortable, and kept stealing glances with Jake.

"What? What's the problem?" Bella was suddenly very aware of the tension around her. People started shifting again as Bella's anger rose.

"Just because I understand it, doesn't mean I am taking your side. Bella's doing extraordinarily well. Don't ruin the moment for her," Edward warned Seth.

"I'll help him toss you," Rosalie promised. It was the most hostile I've ever seen her be towards Seth. Bella glared at him, which came as a total surprise to me. Maybe vampire Bella was going to go psycho. Suddenly, her eyes widened.

"No!" She gasped, and everyone was moving again. Jake's arms on mine, Emmett in front of me, Jasper and Edward wrapped around Bella, and Renesmee in Seth's arms.

"Rose," Bella said through her teeth. "Take Renesmee." Seth handed Renesmee to Rosalie immediately and backed off.

"Bella's going to kill Seth," I whispered, and someone shushed me.

"Edward I don't want to hurt you, so please let go of me," Bella said calmly, but Edward hesitated. "Go stand in front of Renesmee," Bella suggested. After deliberation, he let her go and went to stand in front of the baby. This wasn't going to be good.

"You didn't," Bella snarled at him.

"Bella, come on," I tried to reason, and a look from Edward cut me off. I wasn't allowed to participate in this, apparently.

"You know it's nothing I can control," Seth backed away, trying to reason with Bella. "You know I love you guys, I wouldn't do anything intentional to mess with that," he looked truly terrified. This poor kid. _Come on, Edward, help him out._

"How could you? My baby!" She yelled at him. Seth backed out of the front door, Bella right on top of him. I'm surprised he didn't start running. Jake whispered something softly into Emmett's ear and Emmett took a step closer to me. Jake ran around the back of the house. I tried to follow him, but Emmett took a hold on me.

"It wasn't my idea, Bella!" I heard Seth beg from the front yard.

"I've held her all of one time, and you already think you have some moronic wolfy claim to her?"

"An imprint is hardly moronic," I repeated disgusted.

"Let it go," Emmett mumbled to me.

"She's mine," Bella growled.

"I can share," Seth defended. "I can definitely share. Look at Jake and Dani! They make it work!"

"Dani is an adult! How dare you imprint on my _baby_?" Bella repeated again. "Have you lost your mind?"

"It was involuntary!" Seth insited. Suddenly, he wasn't alone. Two large wolves flanked him on either side. Jake and Leah. Great, now this was really going to be a fight. Leah snapped at Bella. Bella snarled back at her.

"Bella, would you try to listen for just a second? Please?" Seth begged. "Leah, Jake, back off," Seth added.

"Why should I listen?"

"Because it's not what you think it is, Bella!" I called from where I was standing, earning multitude of different glares from my family. I tried to get closer, but someone stopped me. "It's not about that kind of love. It's about spending your life with someone who is going to be everything you need. Seth will be the best big brother Renesmee could ask for," I tried to defend him. Bella was completely turned on me now. "Someday, they'll be more than that. They'll be best friends, and then he'll be the perfect boyfriend. She'll need no one else, because he'll always be there," I smiled at Jake. I had met him less than a year ago, but I knew that if he had been a part of my life from the beginning, that's what it would have felt like.

"You know I don't think of her that way, Bella!" Seth added, and Bella turned back to him. I let out a sigh of relief. Do you think Edward would have let me live this long if I did? All I want is for her to be safe and happy—is that so bad? So different from what you want?"

I hoped that between Seth and me, Bella would see reason. She was a stubborn newborn, but she was smart. Her personality was still there. She would hate herself if she ever hurt him.

"Amazing, isn't she?" Edward murmured. "She hasn't gone for his throat even once."

"Fine, you win this one," Emmett said grudgingly.

"You're going to stay away from her," Bella hissed at Seth. I rolled my eyes. She wasn't getting it.

"I can't do that!" Seth groaned.

"Try. Starting now."

"It's not possible. Haven't you seen this with Jake and Dani? Don't you remember how much you wanted me around three days ago? That's gone for you now, isn't it? That was her. From the very beginning, it was her. We had to be together, even then," I didn't know if Seth's speech was hurting his argument or not, but the fact that Bella hadn't killed him yet was a good start.

"It's okay, Bella, it's not as bad as you think," I tried to help ease some of the tension. "She doesn't love you any less just because of the imprint."

"Yeah, Bells, Nessie just likes me, too," Seth insisted, and I groaned. Shit, Seth.

"What did you call her?" Bella asked, getting wound up again. Someone was already leading me back into the house. I tried to turn around to see what was happening, but I was being carried away too quickly. All I heard was Bella shouting "You nicknamed my daughter after the Loch Ness Monster?!" and then a whole lot of growling and fighting. _Well, shit._


	80. Talent

TALENT

"What the hell happened?!" I yelled, seeing Jake walk – sorry, _stumble_ – through the front door, Dad close behind him. I immediately ran over to Jake.

"It's fine, Dani," Jake grunted, sitting down on the couch. Dad disappeared for a second to get medical supplies, and I took the opportunity to look at Jake's injuries.

"Didn't we do this already?" I asked him, running my hands through his hair. I couldn't do think again. I would lose it.

"It's not as bad as last time," Jake promised, reading my mind. He was trying to be comforting, but I could see that he reflected the same fear in his eyes that I had.

"I'm so sorry, Jacob, I should have been closer," Edward apologized, coming in behind him. Dad sat Jake down on the couch and immediately started splinting his shoulder.

"It's okay," Jake growled a little when Dad touched a tender spot. I leaned my head on his good shoulder.

"Jake, I-"

"Bella, I said it's fine," Jake snapped. He didn't like people doting over him.

"Bella, love, no one is judging you. You're doing so well," Edward encouraged, taking the attention off of Jake.

"What happened?" I asked, finally gathering myself again. I looked between Bella, Edward, and Jake, waiting for one of them to give an answer.

"I tried to kill Seth," Bella admitted, sadly. "Jake was just jumping in to protect him."

"Where's Seth?" I asked her.

"He's outside protecting my own daughter from me," Bella complained. She got a few sympathy glances for that one.

"The fact that I'm not dead yet is a testament to how kick ass you are, Bella," I tried to comfort her. I looked over when Jake winced. Dad had secured another piece of the brace to Jake's arm.

"Sorry, sorry!" Bella mumbled.

"Stop freaking out, Bella. It's not the first time I've gotten my ass kicked by a vampire," Jake groaned.

"It better be the last," I grumbled beside him.

"I'll be back to normal in a half hour or so," Jake promised. "Anyone would have done the same for me."

"You're just a great alpha," I smiled at him. He rolled his eyes.

"It could have been so much worse," Bella mused.

"Don't go there, Bella," I warned her. I was having a hard time not going there myself. If she had bit him…it would have been bad news.

"I'm a bad person," Bella sighed. "I'm a terrible person."

"Of course you aren't, I should have-"

"Stop that," Bella sighed, yelling at Edward for trying to take the credit for causing this disaster.

"Well, Jacob," Dad straightened and stepped away from the couch. "I think that's as much as I can do. Try not to move for, oh, a few hours I guess," Dad chuckled. "I wish treating humans were this instantaneously gratifying. Stay still," he directed Jacob, then disappeared upstairs.

"Dani, chill," Jake mumbled, sensing that I was still anxious. "Go do some homework or something. I'll be fine in a little bit. I'm just going to take a nap."

"He's right, Dani," Edward mentioned.

"I'll go do my homework outside – give Bella some human-free air for a little bit," I offered. They weren't trying to make me feel bad, but both Edward and Bella looked a little too excited at my offer. I sighed, kissing Jake on the forehead real quick before grabbing my backpack and disappearing myself.

"Where are you going?" I asked when Emmett, Alice, and Mom came into the back yard.

"Hunting, sweetheart. We'll be back shortly," Mom explained, kissing me before catching up with the other two. I shrugged. At least everything was back to normal.

* * *

"Whatcha working on?" Jake said, sneaking up behind me. I jumped.

"Calculus, buttface," I stuck my tongue out at him.

"What are you doing taking _Calculus_?" He grimaced, and plopped down next to me, and handed me a grilled cheese. "Eat up, I made it myself," he smiled, all proud. I squinted.

"No way," I challenged him. He nodded.

"Take a bite. I did a great job," he smiled. I took a bite. He did do a pretty good job. Mine were better, of course, but it was nice to know that if I couldn't cook for whatever reason we wouldn't starve.

"It's adequate," I teased. Jake rolled his eyes and took the grilled cheese away from me.

"What are you doing?!" I yelled at him, trying to get my dinner back.

"Donating your sandwich to someone with more appreciative taste buds," Jake pointed out, and took a bite.

"Maybe Bella should have broken both of your arms," I mumbled before going back to my homework.

"Aw, babe, don't be like that," Jake tried to be all cute now, and handed me my sandwich back.

"How's your shoulder?" I asked him, changing the subject.

"It's good as new," Jake rolled it around for emphasis. I shook my head.

"Don't do that," I warned him.

"Why?"

"Because you're going to give me gray hairs," I complained. "Just rest your arm for a little while longer," I pleaded. He nodded.

"Come on, it's getting chilly out. Let's get back inside," Jake offered.

"Bella-" I tried to protest, but Jake was ready.

"It won't kill her," Jake held out his hand. "Come on."

"I guess so," I sighed and took his hand. He helped me stand up and gathered my books for me. It was going to start getting dark out soon anyways. September sucked.

We walked inside, and Renesmee was back in the arms of Rosalie and in the house. She squirmed and reached her hand towards Rosalie.

"What does she want?" Seth asked, eager to grant Renesmee's every wish.

"Bella, of course," Rosalie told him, and then looked at Bella. "How are you?"

"Worried," Bella whispered, looking at her daughter. I don't even think she realized I was back in the room.

"We all are, but that's not what I meant," Rosalie clarified.

"I'm in control," Bella promised. Seth bit his lip, but made no move to stop Rosalie as she handed Renesmee over to Bella. Jasper and Edward hovered, but also allowed it. Renesmee immediately reached her hand to Bella's face, showing her something.

"Oh, wonderful," Bella groaned. "Perfect."

"It's just because he tastes better than the rest of us," Edward assured her. Bella's nose wrinkled and suddenly Renesmee was out of Bella's arms and Jake was in front of me, ready to pounce. Dad was beside him. Jasper was holding Bella's arms behind her back.

"What did I do?" Bella asked, shocked.

"But she was remembering being thirsty," Edward muttered, confused. "Remembering how Dani's blood tastes."

Jasper's arms pulled Bella's tighter together. Jake growled, realizing that the danger was directly impacting me. I had a feeling I wouldn't be holding my niece again anytime soon.

"Yes," Bella answered, "and?"

Edward chuckled. "And nothing at all, it seems. The overreaction is mine this time. Jazz, let her go." Bella reached out to hold Renesmee again and Edward handed her over without hesitation.

"I can't understand," Jasper said. "I can't bear this." He strode out the back door. I don't know where he went.

"He'll be back," Edward said. "He just needs a moment alone to readjust his perspective on life."

"Is he mad at me?" Bella asked quietly. Edward's eyes widened.

"No, why would he be?"

"What's the matter with him, then?"

"He's upset with himself, not you, Bella. He's worrying about…self-fulfilling prophecy, I suppose you could say."

"How so?" Dad asked.

"He's wondering if the newborn madness is really as difficult as we've always thought, or if, with the right focus and attitude, anyone could do as well as Bella. Even now – perhaps he only has such difficulty because he believes it's natural and unavoidable. Maybe if he expected more of himself, he would rise to those expectations. You're making him question a lot of deep-rooted assumptions, Bella."

"But that's unfair," Dad spoke up. "Everyone is different; everyone has their own challenges. Perhaps what Bella is doing goes beyond the natural? There is no newborn I have ever experienced that has been able to withstand a human in the room for this long without killing them. Especially if having the knowledge of what their blood would taste like." I knew he was referring to me. "Maybe this is her gift, so to speak."

"That's an interesting theory, and quite plausible," Edward said. Bella looked hopeful.

"Have you ever seen an equivalent to self-control as a talent?" Edward asked Dad. "Do you really think that's a gift, or just a product of all her preparation?"

Dad shrugged. "It's slightly similar to what Siobhan has always been able to do, though she wouldn't call it a gift."

"Siobhan, your friend in that Irish coven?" Rosalie asked. I've never heard of this woman. "I wasn't aware that she did anything special. I thought it was Maggie who was talented in that bunch."

"Yes, Siobhan thinks the same. But she has this way of deciding her goals and then almost… willing them into reality. She considers it good planning, but I've always wondered if it was something more. When she included Maggie, for instance. Liam was very territorial, but Siobhan wanted it to work out, and so it did." Edward, Dad, and Rosalie settled into chairs as they continued with the discussion. Seth sat down next to Jake and I, looking lost without Renesmee in his arms. I smiled and leaned over Jake to nudge him a little bit.

"How are you doing?" I whispered to him. He shrugged.

"It's been a long few days," he smiled.

"Welcome to the dark side, brother," Jake fist bumped him. I shook my head.

"It's not _that_ bad," I defended. Jake made a face and I pushed him.

I could see after a few minutes that the conversation wasn't going anywhere, so I nudged Jake and nodded upstairs. He nodded and stood up.

"Good night," I said to anyone who was listening. Dad stopped the mini conference long enough to wish me good night, but as soon as I hit the stairs they were back to chattering. Emmett, Alice, Mom, and Jasper still weren't home, so it was just Jake who led me upstairs.

"Are you going to school tomorrow?" Jake asked. I smirked.

"Tomorrow is Saturday, Jake," I teased him. He rolled his eyes.

"You could have just said no," he teased, pushing me down on the bed.

"But then I couldn't have called you out on being wrong," I poked. He started to play with my belt, and looked up at me suggestively.

"Are you crazy?" I whisper-yelled at him. "You've already gotten attacked by one vampire today. Trust me, the boys will be on you like hell on fire if this goes any further."

"They don't have to know," Jake whispered, kissing my stomach. Damn, I wanted it _so bad_. I kicked him away.

"Jake, no," I told him, and stood up, looking for a pair of PJs.

"You're no fun," Jake complained, laying down on the bed.

"I'm trying to protect you," I smirked, meeting him back on the bed.

"I'm gonna go relieve Leah and the boys for tonight," Jake mused, playing with my hair. "I'll be back at some point tomorrow."

"That's fine," I told him. Now that there was no real danger it wasn't as stressful for me if he left. It was all routine.

"If you need anything, have Seth call me or something. He can leave the baby for a few minutes. Tell him it's an Alpha's order," Jake directed. I chuckled.

"Believe it or not I know how to sleep without you, Jake," I teased him. He nodded.

"Sure, sure," he sat up. "I just worry about you."

"I know, and I love you for it," I leaned up to kiss him. "Get going, Alpha Dog."

"Good night, weakling," he teased back. "Seriously, if you need _anything-_ "

"Jake, go!" I shooed him. He put his hands up in defeat. When he finally left I rolled over and smiled to myself. I could get used to this.


	81. Pain

PAIN

 _"You know me," I begged. "Please, please don't hurt me." There was no one around to stop her. No one to stop her from hunting me. She was the predator and I was the prey._

 _"I love you, Dani, but you taste so good," she smiled with that awful bloody smile. She had already killed Jake. My heart was in pieces._

 _"Please, you'll hurt them," I begged, trying to reach whatever was left of her humanity._

 _"It won't hurt anyone," Another voice said from beside the car. My brother, the one who was supposed to protect me. His eyes were blood red. "If anything, it will help us."_

 _"We won't have to live with a weak human anymore," Someone else said. "_ We _won't have to hurt anymore, and she has an excuse, too. No one will be disappointed."_

 _"I can leave," I promised, crying. "I can leave and never come back."_

 _"That's not good enough," Aro said. "You still know too much."_

 _"The only option is death, my love," Dad appeared. My heart sped up, and I wished that I could stop it right now. I knew that it wasn't helping me._

 _"Please, I don't want this," I cried, getting louder. "I don't want to die."_

 _"It'll be over soon, my darling," It was Mom. My human mom. The one who died so long ago. "It's painless."_

 _"Mom, please," I begged. She held out her hands. "No!" I shouted, and started running. It wasn't long before the hunt ended, and I felt venom being injected into my body._

"Dani!" I shirked back at the cold hands that were touching me. It was my mom. I jumped backwards. Jasper was in the room too, with my dad.

 _Their eyes are gold, Dani, they won't hurt you_ , I tried to tell myself.

"Esme, take a step back," Jasper warned my mom while simultaneously taking a step forward. I could feel calm in the room. I was having trouble figuring out reality from the nightmare.

"Deep breaths, angel," Dad reminded me. My heart was speeding up, just like it had in the nightmare. I heard yelling from downstairs.

"What the hell happened?" It was Jake. He was alive. I started crying again. Jake came barging into the room. He moved closer, and I didn't back away from him. He hugged me and I started crying into his arms. I could tell that he was giving my parents looks behind my back, but I didn't care.

"It's okay," Jake cooed. "It's over. Whatever you were dreaming about is over."

"I'm sorry," I choked. Jake shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. Do you want some water?" He asked. I nodded. Someone left the room to go grab some. They were back instantly with it.

"You have to relax before you drink anything or you're gonna choke," Jake warned before handing me the water. I felt more waves of calm fill the air.

"Let it help you, darlin'," Jasper spoke from the doorway. I nodded and tried to match my breathing with Jake's. His chest was still supporting my head. I hadn't been able to bring myself to look up yet.

"Take a sip," Jake encouraged when he thought I had calmed down enough. I did.

"What happened?" Dad asked, moving a little closer. He reached for my wrist and Jake let him take it. I tensed, but I didn't shy away like I had earlier with Mom. I shook my head. I didn't want to tell them. It would hurt them.

"Dani," Dad chastised, but he looked sad. My unwillingness to tell them confirmed what he had been thinking. The nightmare was about them.

"Bella tried to kill me," I whispered. "You all let her. She killed Jake," I spoke in short, quiet sentences. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair, for anyone.

"Oh, sweetie," Mom sighed from the other side of the bed. Jake squeezed me tighter.

"I'm sorry, I just need a minute. This one felt too real," I confessed. Dad nodded, satisfied with my vitals. He ran his fingers through my hair.

"We would never let anything happen to you, my love," he whispered, and kissed my forehead. I nodded, and shifted my weight so that I was now in his embrace instead of Jacob's. It was a weird sensation going from hot to cold like that, but it felt nice.

"I'm going to make you some breakfast," Mom patted the bed. "I think some waffles are just what you need." I nodded. That sounded nice.

"You feel warm," Dad observed. Jake and I looked at him. Did it have anything to do with the fact that I was just huddled up with my werewolf boyfriend?

"Is she sick, doc?" Jake asked, feeling my forehead too.

"She's human, Jake. It's probably stress," Dad smiled. "We'll keep an eye on it. Come on, let's go get you something to eat."

"I've got to head back out, I was just nearby the house when I heard her. I had to come check on you," Jake explained, looking upset about having to leave.

"I'll be okay," I smiled, leaning over to kiss him. He nodded, and headed back out. I wish he had been a little farther away so that he didn't hear me. He didn't need to see that and worry about me.

Dad stood up and helped me out of bed. Jake followed behind. Jasper was the last one out of the room.

"I'm sorry, Jazz," I told him.

"It's alright, little darlin'," he smiled, using his pet name for me. I hadn't heard him call me that in a while.

* * *

We walked downstairs, and it was clear that Renesmee was also awake. She was sitting up on the floor with Rose and Emmett hovering over her, playing with a little pile of twisted silverware. She had a mangled spoon in her right hand. As soon as she spied me coming down the stairs, she chucked the spoon on the floor, leaving a dent in the wooden flooring, and pointed in my direction, smiling. Her audience laughed – Jasper had joined Alice on the couch, and Mom could see what was happening from the kitchen. I smiled too.

"Be careful with those, Chomper," I teased her. She started to get whiny, pointing at me and looking back and forth between Rose and Emmett. She wanted me to hold her.

"It's up to you, Dani," Rose told me. "She still bites, though. I don't know if she's learned not to do that to you, yet."

"I'll play with her until breakfast is ready," I smiled, laying down on the floor beside her. She was looking less and less like a baby every day and more and more like a young toddler. Her hair was getting longer. Soon we'd be able to braid it.

"Auntie's a weak human, Chomper," I told her, picking up one of the mangled spoons. "You've gotta be careful with me," I mused. She tapped the band aid on my hand from where she last decided to take a bite.

"Yeah, that hurt," I told her. She climbed up on me and put her hand on my face. She was trying to explain how good I tasted. I rolled my eyes.

"Daddy will teach you how to stay away from things you can't have, but still taste good," I promised her. As soon as I said that, Bella and Edward walked through the back door.

"Where were you?" I asked them. Renesmee started squealing when she saw her Mama. I happily handed her over to Bella.

"We were enjoying Bella's birthday present," Edward smiled, kissing the side of his wife's head.

"I thought once you were a vampire you stopped counting your human birthday?" I asked. We had never celebrated anyone's birthday but my own. I assumed it was some weird cultural thing with the undead.

"Thank you!" Bella exasperated. Alice rolled her eyes.

"You're supposed to be on my side, Dani!" Alice whined. I winked.

"I'm on my own side," I defended, getting up off of the floor.

"How long has she been up?" Bella asked Renesmee. I walked to the kitchen with Edward following me. Someone had probably filled him in on my nightmare. I tried not to think about it. I ignored him, grabbed a plate and walked back out into the living room.

"Just a few minutes," Rosalie answered. "We would have called you soon. She's been asking for you – demanding might be a better description. Esme sacrificed her second-best silver service to keep the little monster entertained."

"You never did that for me," I complained, shoving a bite of waffle into my mouth. Mom smiled.

"You were much older when you came into our lives, my dear," Mom defended. "Fortunately, there were plenty of other new and exciting options to keep you entertained."

"Yeah, like Call of Duty," I smiled, high fiving Emmett. Mom rolled her eyes.

"Thank you, Esme. So much," Bella told Mom. "It's absolutely perfect." Emmett started laughing, and I didn't get the joke.

"So it's still standing?" He managed to get out. "I would have thought you two had knocked it to rubble by now. What were you doing last night? Discussing the national debt?" He howled with laughter. I looked at Edward disgusted. I never wanted to think of him in that way.

"Then stop thinking about it," Edward warned, speaking to me, but glaring at Emmett. I put my plate down. I lost my appetite.

"Where are the wolves today?" Bella asked, glancing out the window.

"Jacob left last night, came back this morning, and left again," I told her. Hopefully she wouldn't ask why he came back this morning.

"He took Seth with him when he left," Rosalie mentioned.

"Why did Jake take Seth?" I asked. Jake had been pretty good about letting Seth have time off to be with Renesmee. Now that he had Quil and Embry, and there was no danger, Seth didn't need to be out much at all.

"I don't know, nor do I care," Rosalie shrugged. "He was watching Nessie sleep, his mouth hanging open like some child, and then he just jumped to his feet when he saw Jacob leave. I was glad to be rid of him. The more time he spends here, the less change there is that we'll ever get the smell out."

"The less chance it is you'll get to hold the baby," I mumbled, taking a bite of a Strawberry. I heard a few chuckles combined with one distinct growl.

"I suppose it doesn't matter," Rose continued. "We won't be here much longer." I looked confused.

"I still say we should go straight to New Hampshire and get things set up," Emmett said, ignoring me. Edward and Jasper were watching me carefully.

"Guys," Edward hissed. Clearly someone was leaving me out of some pretty big plans.

"New Hampshire?" I asked, my voice breaking. "We're leaving again?"

"Bella can't be seen in Forks, love," Dad tried to explain before I could get any more distraught. "She's already registered at Dartmouth and should be able to start next semester." My eyes widened again. Next _semester_?

"What about senior year?" I asked. Then, the real panic set in. "Oh my God, what about Jake? I can't leave, I can't-"

"Dani, Dani," Jasper rushed over to me, taking my plate and rubbing my back. "There's a lot that still needs to be discussed," he said, calming me down. I felt like I was going to throw up.

"You have a choice, Dani," Edward explained. "We have to leave, but you're an adult now. You can make your decision for yourself."

"What does that _mean?_ " I gasped, trying to wrap my head around everything. Jake should be here. Jake should be hearing this.

"It's actually better that he doesn't," Edward mused. "You're upset, and we understand that. We wanted to talk to you under different circumstances," Edward glared at Rosalie and Emmett. I shook my head and put it in my hands.

"What are my choices?" I asked. I needed someone to say it out loud. I needed someone to validate my panicked thoughts, because I couldn't. Because they were going to ask me to do the one thing I had been dreading ever since I had fallen in love with Jacob Black.

"You can come with us to New Hampshire, or you can remain here and finish your education with Jacob," Edward said softly. I started crying. I heard Renesmee start to whimper. It wasn't much of a choice. I couldn't leave Jacob. I couldn't.

"It would be just like going to college," Dad tried to explain, seeing that I was getting more upset. They knew. They all knew what I would choose. "We would still very much be a part of your life. You can come see us whenever you want, we will buy as many plane tickets as you need. You're a human, Dani, this is part of that experience."

"There's Skype, and Facetime, and so many different ways we can keep in touch," Rosalie tried to make me feel better too. "You aren't losing us, Dani."

I took a deep breath. The tears wouldn't stop falling. I had to excuse myself. As soon as I was getting up to go to the bathroom, however, Alice started yelling.

"What is he doing? What is that dog doing that has erased my schedule for the entire day? I can't see anything! No!" She looked at Bella, redirecting her anger. "Look at you! You need me to show you how to use your closet."

Edward's hands were balled up in fists. I was about to get defensive – I had a feeling I knew which 'dog' they were talking about – but Edward held a hand to stop me before I could do anything.

"He talked to Charlie. He thinks Charlie is following after him. Coming here. Today."

Alice swore before disappearing out the back door. I looked at Edward in disbelief. Jacob wouldn't have done that, would he?

"He told Charlie?" Bella gasped. "But – doesn't he understand? How could he do that?"

"No!" Edward spoke through his teeth. He glared at me. "Jacob's on his way in now."

As soon as Edward said that, Jake came through the door soaking wet. He shook his hair out and then came over to me.

"Hey guys," he called out as he passed. He hadn't picked up that everyone was pissed off at him yet.

"What's wrong?" He asked, seeing the tearstains on my face from earlier. It wasn't about me now, though.

"Rose," Bella said, and Rose handed Renesmee to her.

"Charlie'll be here soon," Jake said casually. "Just a heads-up. I assume Alice is getting you sunglasses or something?"

"You assume way too much," Bella spit through her teeth. "What. Have. You. Done?"

"I heard Blondie and Emmett this morning going on and on about you all moving cross-country," Jake said. "Like I could let you leave. Charlie was the biggest issue there, right? Well problem solved," Jake smiled, and looked to me for validation. I shook my head and sat down. The room was spinning again. Of _course_ Jake thought he was solving the problem. Of _course_ Jake was just trying to do the right thing by me.

"Do you even realize what you've done?" Bella yelled. "The danger you've put him in?" Jake snorted.

"I didn't put him in any danger. You've been around Dani with no problems. You've got some kind of supernatural self-control, right? Not as good as mind reading, if you ask me. Much less exciting."

"Jake, you're an idiot," I whispered from below him. I put my head in my hands. They were going to kill him.

"That's just a theory, mongrel," Edward snarled, now inches away from Jake's face. "You think we should test it out on Charlie? Danielle already knows about vampires. Bella doesn't have to pretend around her. Danielle knows that Bella's control is limited and that she needs space. Don't you think that Charlie would want to _hug_ his daughter? Never mind the fact that Bella will be in excruciating pain if she can resist, and putting both Charlie _and_ Danielle in danger if she can't. I suppose what happens to Bella no longer concerns you!" Edward spit. I stood up now, getting in between them. I didn't want a fight. I couldn't take a fight.

"Bella will be in pain?" Jake asked. He wasn't angry. He wasn't fighting back.

"Like you've shoved a white-hot branding iron down her throat!" Edward snarled. I flinched. Is that what it felt like? I grabbed my throat. Is that what my family felt when they were around me? Edward seemed to calm down when my thoughts reached his consciousness. He looked at me apologetically. I let out a shaky breath, shook my head, and stepped away. Jake started to follow me, but I stopped him.

"Fix this," I warned him before running upstairs. I unintentionally slammed my door and flopped down on my bed, screaming into my pillows.

* * *

All of those times they needed space, and I wouldn't give it to them. When I was six and fell down the stairs. When I was nine and skinned my knee in the driveway. When their eyes are black and I try to push them. I was _hurting_ them. My living here was _hurting_ them. Every day every minute. Pain. _A white-hot branding iron down the throat_ , Edward said.

I heard a knock on the door. I looked up. Jacob would have barged in. I didn't know if I wanted to see anyone right now.

"Dani, it's us," Alice chirped from the hallway. For once, they followed the rule of not coming in unless I gave them permission. I walked over to the door and opened it, then went to the bathroom to wash my face off.

"You never get a break, do you kid?" Alice tried to joke, sitting on my bed. Jasper was beside her.

"Why did you agree to the adoption?" I whispered from the doorway. I was looking at the floor. "If it puts you in that much _pain_ -" I cut off at the end. Especially with Jasper. _Especially_ with Jasper.

"It's not like that all the time, Dani. Most of the time we barely notice it," Alice tried to explain. "It peaks sometimes, but that's when we hunt. We never let the pain get bad enough that we would risk putting you in danger."

"I got used to having you around a long time ago," Jasper added, knowing I was thinking about him.

"But you never get a break. It's just constant temptation," I sighed. My family was full of masochists.

"It was difficult, at first," Jasper agreed. "But you were more important. Just like Bella was more important to Edward. Losing you was a pain that we couldn't withstand. The other pains we felt were nothing compared to that."

"What about Bella? Is this why you didn't want me to come home?" I asked. Alice nodded.

"If she were like other newborns, she would have killed you instantly," Alice said. "Or at least would have tried to. We would never let that happen," she insisted. Jasper nodded, affirming what Alice said.

"But me being here is still hurting her."

"To an extent, yes, but that's why Esme built them their cottage," Alice argued. "Bella has a place now where she can get a break, if that's what she needs. She understands that."

"This is your home, little darlin'," Jasper butt in. "Anyone who comes into our lives needs to respect that."

 _Maybe the move was a good idea_ , I thought to myself. _I won't be hurting them anymore. They can be free without fear of a human around. Long term I won't mean much to them anyways…_ I mused. Tears started rolling down my face.

"Don't you ever think that," Edward said from the hallway. "Don't you dare ever think that you won't mean anything to us."

"What?" Alice scoffed. Edward took my hand and led me to the bed where my siblings were sitting.

"I am the luckiest man in the world," Edward began. "I fell in love with a human, she loved me back, and now she is a part of my world. She made that decision. I was incredibly selfish, and now I have what I have always wanted. You've made your decision. If I – if _any_ of us – could be selfish, we would keep you with us forever, but that's not what _you_ want. Someday, we are going to lose you, and it will be devastating. It won't matter how long we have lived apart. We will remember you and you will be our daughter and our sister until the day we cease to exist."

"You're everything to us," Alice added.

"You're not just another human in our lives, Dani. That's why we go through the pain. That's why we go through whatever troubles you think you put us through. It's because we love you. It's because you're one of us, and you will always be one of us," Edward hugged me.

"I need to go help Bella," Alice stated. "Are you okay now?" I nodded. I just needed some sibling love.

"Ask and you shall receive, little one," Edward kissed my forehead. He and Alice retreated downstairs. I took a deep breath and looked at Jasper.

"Come 'ere," He drawled, and I leaned into him.

"Does this hurt you?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"Not as much as you think it does," he answered. "I'll take the pain any day of the week in order to see that beautiful smile of yours," he poked. Naturally, I smiled. He did too. "There it is."

"I guess I should go see if my boyfriend survived," I sighed. Jazz nodded.

"He's still making an ass of himself," Jazz chuckled.

"Yeah, he does that," I rolled my eyes. "I guess it's time for me to rescue him," I sat up, and walked out, Jasper following close behind me.


	82. Caught

CAUGHT

I got downstairs and everyone was trying to give Bella tips on being human. Ironic, since she was the only one of them to actually experience humanity in the past several decades. Bella was sitting on the couch, and looked over to where Seth was standing, playing with Chomper.

"Seth, I need Renesmee," she said. Seth went to hand her over, but Alice shook her head.

"Bella, that doesn't help me see," Alice complained.

"But I _need_ her," Bella argued. "She keeps me calm." No one could argue with that.

"Fine," Alice groaned. "Hold her as still as you can and I'll _try_ to see around her."

Edward took a seat beside Bella and put his arms around his little family. He looked Renesmee seriously in the eyes. In the moment, he looked like a true father.

"Renesmee, someone special is coming to see you and your mother," he said. "But he's not like us, or even like Seth. He's like Dani, but even more special. We have to be very careful with him. You shouldn't tell him things the way you tell us," Edward explained. Renesmee touched his face.

"Exactly," he said. "And he's going to make you thirsty, but you mustn't bite him. He won't heal like Seth will."

Renesmee touched his face again. Edward smiled, looking at me. "Exactly like what Aunt Dani said," he smiled. My eyes widened. What did that little traitor tell him?

"She can understand you?" I whispered. Edward nodded.

"Between your talk with her this morning and my talk with her, she understands. You'll be careful, won't you Renesmee? You'll help us?" Renesmee touched him again.

"No, I don't care if you bite Seth. That's fine," Edward smiled. Jake and Seth both chuckled.

"We should go take a walk, Jake," I walked over to my fiancée, trying to be subtle. People were still trying to give Bella last minute directions, and of course the baby was a fantastic distraction.

"I told Charlie I'd be here," Jake said. "He needs the moral support."

"Moral support," Edward scoffed. "As far as Charlie knows, you're the most repulsive monster of us all."

"Repulsive?" Jake protested, and then laughed quietly to himself.

"Jake, if Charlie is going to be here, I don't want Bella to have to worry about more than one human in the room," I told him, trying to cool down the heat in the room. This wasn't about who was the most 'repulsive' monster in the room. This was about Bella.

"I have to be here, Dani. For Charlie," Jake sighed.

"You can stay, Dani. It might be good for Charlie to see you too," Bella offered. "I'll be fine."

"Wouldn't it be harder to explain how there's a human mixed up in all of this?" I asked around.

"If he's truly on a need to know basis, then hopefully we won't have to explain too much," Dad answered.

"Well done, Bella," Jasper whispered, responding to something I didn't catch.

"I don't want to push anything," I decided. I didn't want to risk it. "I'll go take a hike and check out your new digs," I told them. Charlie had already pulled in the driveway.

"Dani, I think Charlie would really like to see you. He always liked you," Bella offered. "I want you to stay."

"I'll stay close to the window," I promised. "If it gets too much, say 'bubbles' or something," I joked, but it wasn't much of a joke. "I'll disappear."

"If we didn't think she could handle it, we would have been gone already," Alice smiled. "You can do this, Bella."

"Hello, Charlie," Dad said from the front door. Charlie looked furious, but controlled.

"Carlisle," he greeted. "Where' Bella?"

"Right here, Dad," Bella answered. Jake came and stood next to me. Charlie hadn't noticed him yet. He was too busy looking at his new daughter.

"Is that you, Bella?" Charlie whispered.

"Yep," Bella smiled. "Hi, Dad."

"Hey, Charlie," Jake greeted. I smacked him. "How're things?" _Use your head, Jacob,_ I complained internally. Charlie glowered at Jacob, shuddered at a memory, and then went back to staring at Bella. Slowly, he walked across the room until he was only a few feet away from her. I instinctively latched onto Jacob's hand. I was still mad at him, but I was incredibly nervous for my sister-in-law and couldn't help myself.

"Bella?" Charlie asked again. He couldn't wrap his head around it.

"It's really me," Bella promised. "I'm sorry, Dad," she apologized.

"Are you okay?" He demanded. Bella nodded.

"Really and truly great," Bella smiled. "Healthy as a horse."

"Jake told me this was…necessary. That you were dying." I looked at Jake. _How could you say that?_ I wanted to yell at him, but now wasn't the time.

"Jacob was telling you the truth," Bella confirmed.

"That makes one of you," Charlie growled. Bella glanced down at Renesmee and Charlie followed her. He seemed to have calmed a bit once he saw the baby in her arms. "Oh," he said. "This is her? The orphan Jacob said you're adopting."

"My niece," Edward lied smoothly. I tried not to chuckle. I was more of his niece than Renesmee was.

"I thought you'd lost your family," Charlie said, trying to find the lies again.

"I lost my parents," Edward corrected. "My older brother was adopted, like me. I never saw him after that, but the courts located me when he and his wife died in a car accident, leaving their only child without any other family."

"She's…she's, well, she's a beauty," Charlie admired, even smiling a little bit.

"Yes," Edward agreed.

"Kind of a big responsibility, though," Charlie mused, "You two are just getting started."

"What else could we do?" Edward brushed his fingers lightly over her cheek. I saw him touch her lips for just a moment—a reminder. He was so good at being a parent. Renesmee smiled up at him.

"Would you have refused her?"

"Hmph. Well." He shook his head absently. "Jake says you call her Nessie?"

"No, we don't," Bella disagreed sharply. I, again, had to hold back my laughter. Fortunately for me she hadn't discovered my little nickname for my niece yet. It was only a matter of time with that loud mouth, I suppose.

"Her name is Renesmee," Bella asserted.

"How do you feel about this?" Charlie asked Bella. "Maybe Carlisle and Esme could —"

"She's mine," Bella interrupted, not wanting to argue with her father any longer. "I want her." Charlie frowned.

"You gonna make me a grandpa so young?" Edward smiled. "Carlisle is a grandfather, too." Charlie shot an incredulous glance at Carlisle, still standing by the front door; he looked like Zeus's younger, better-looking brother. He was much younger physically than Charlie was.

Charlie snorted and then laughed. "I guess that does sort of make me feel better." His eyes strayed back to Renesmee. "She sure is something to look at," he mused.

That's when Renesmee moved so that Charlie could see her in full for the first time. We all noticed when the realization hit him. He saw Bella's unmistakable brown eyes. We saw his anxiety peak, and his brain turn. Jacob, always needing to go to the rescue, got up and went over to pat Charlie on the back. He leaned in to whisper something in Charlie's ear, pretending that no one could hear him. Of course I couldn't, but that was beside the point.

"I don't want to know everything, but I'm done with the lies!" Charlie growled at Edward.

"I'm sorry," Edward said calmly, "but you need to know the public story more than you need to know the truth. If you're going to be part of this secret, the public story is the one that counts. It's to protect Bella and Renesmee as well as the rest of us. Can you go along with the lies for them?"

"I understand the confusion, Charlie. The desire to want to know more, but the fear that comes with the knowledge. I'm just like you, Charlie. I'm human. I'm not quite a part of this world and yet I'm more invested than I could ever have predicted. Edward's right. The public story is the only story that matters. Everything else will fall into place," I promised him. I didn't know if that helped or not, but I had to try. I was the only one who understood Charlie right now.

"You might've given me some warning, kid," Charlie said to Bella, trying to calm himself down.

"Would it really have made this any easier?" Bella asked, sadly. Charlie knelt on the floor in front of her.

"How old is she?" Charlie gasped, finally seeing Renesmee's perfect teeth. _Oh Chomper_ , I smiled to myself. Edward smiled too.

"Three months," he answered, basing his estimate on her physical age. "Rather, she's the size of a three month old, more or less," Edward corrected. "She's younger in some ways, more mature in others." Renesmee waved at him. She was a trouble maker. Charlie blinked, unbelieving of his own senses.

"I told you she was special, didn't I?" Jake elbowed Charlie, and Charlie cringed away from the contact.

"Oh, c'mon, Charlie," Jake groaned. "I'm the same person I've always been. Just pretend this afternoon didn't happen," Jake pleaded. Charlie nodded once.

"Just what is your part in all this, Jake?" he asked. "How much does Billy know? And you Seth? Your mom? What are you both doing here?"

"Well, I could tell you about it – Billy knows absolutely everything – but it involves a lot of stuff about werewo-"

"Ungh!" Charlie protested, covering his ears.

"Never mind." Jacob grinned, his plan was working. "Everything's going to be great, Charlie. Just try to not believe anything you see." Charlie mumbled something that didn't entirely sound like English.

"Woo!" Emmett suddenly boomed in his deep bass. "Go Gators!" Jacob and Charlie jumped. The rest of us froze. Charlie recovered, then looked at Emmett over his shoulder. "Florida winning?" He asked.

"Just scored the first touchdown," Emmett confirmed. He shot a look in Bella's direction, wagging his eyebrows suggestively. "'Bout time somebody scored around here." I rolled my eyes.

"If only they knew," Jake whispered. My eyes widened. Did he really just say that in a room full of vampires? Edward was glaring in our direction, and I could tell that he figured it out. Shit. Shit, Jake. Shit.

"You're an idiot," I hissed, hoping everyone else was too distracted to notice what was happening. "If Edward was going to let you live before that option is _definitely_ off the table now."

Charlie got to his feet, stepped around Jake and I, and half-fell into an open chair. He hadn't heard anything, and now in true Charlie fashion was entirely focused on the game.

"Well," he sighed. "I guess we should see if they can hold onto the lead."

BD BD BD

"You gonna stand Billy and my mom up, Charlie?" Seth asked, Renesmee in his arms. Sue was supposedly cooking dinner for Billy and Charlie tonight. Charlie had watched two full games, the after-show, and the news here. We were all politely waiting for him to leave.

"C'mon Charlie," Jake encouraged, nudging me to sit up. I had ended up laying in every possible position on him. I couldn't find a way to get comfortable when everyone was so tense. "You gonna stand Sue and my dad up?" He asked, standing up himself. Billy texted Jake and told him to bring me over, so we were going as well. I think Jake had other plans in mind for later in the evening.

"I don't know how much we should tell Renee about this," Charlie said as he was leaving. Bella nodded. He had stayed for two whole games before deciding it was time to head out. Sue was apparently cooking dinner for him and Billy. _That_ was going to be a fun night.

"I know, I don't want to freak her out. Better to protect her. This stuff isn't for the fainthearted," Bella sighed. "I would have tried to protect you, too, if I'd known how. But I guess you've never fit into the fainthearted category, have you?" Bella smiled.

"I'll think of something. We've got time to discuss this, right?" Charlie asked. I didn't miss the unasked question in his voice.

"Right," Bella promised.

"Jake says you guys were going to take off on me," he muttered to Bella.

"I didn't want to do that if there was any way at all around it," Bella stated. "That's why we're still here."

"He said you could stay for a while, but only if I'm tough enough, and if I can keep my mouth shut."

"Jake you traumatized the poor man," I whispered. We were still inside the house. Jake shrugged.

"If it keeps you all here," he offered. I took his hand.

"I could never leave you," I promised him. "You're stuck with me."

"You'll visit though, if you have to go?" Charlie asked.

"I promise, Dad. Now that you know just enough, I think this can work. I'll keep as close as you want," Bella promised. I didn't know she could make that promise.

They spoke for a few more moments before Charlie finally said goodbye. He got to hold Renesmee, and the chomper behaved, for once. He handed her back to Bella and said one last goodbye. They hugged, which I wasn't expecting. I guess ignorance was bliss. I didn't know when I'd feel comfortable hugging Bella again, if I was being honest. As soon as Charlie left, the air shifted.

"Wow," Bella whispered. Edward was immediately besides Bella, his chin resting on her shoulder.

"You took the word right out of my mouth."

"Edward, I did it!" Bella cheered. We all smiled.

"You did. You were unbelievable. All that worrying over being a newborn, and then you skip it all together."

"I'm not sure she's really a vampire, let alone a newborn," Emmett called from under the stairs. "She's too tame." Bella snarled under her breath. Emmett must have made another comment, because Bella growled. Renesmee stirred in her arms.

"Charlie will be back tomorrow," Bella told her daughter.

"That reminds me," Edward grumbled under his breath. "Jacob, may I have a word with you?" My eyes widened, and Jake rolled his eyes.

"We need to go," I tried to avoid the things that were going to happen, but Edward shook his head. I wasn't getting out of this.

"It's okay, Dani, I can take him," I shook my head.

"No way, you two are not fighting, everything has been going so well!" I complained.

"Enough, Danielle," Edward looked at me. Shit. Jasper and Emmett followed them outside.

"What's going on?" Bella asked, confused. Seth laughed. A few others had smirks on their faces. How many people knew?

"Are you kidding me?" I nearly yelled. I couldn't form coherent words. Instead, I settled on groaning and falling down into one of the chairs.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about, Dani," Alice giggled. "It's part of growing up."

"Alice, shut up," I warned her. My family was notorious for trying to give advice on human processes that wasn't exactly helpful. Over time, we learned that we should just let the school do their job.

"Seth, don't even think about it," Bella warned when she finally caught on to what we were talking about. Seth shook his head, remembering Bella's anger from yesterday.

"Are you safe?" Mom asked, coming out of nowhere.

"Oh my God!" I yelled. "Yes we're safe, yes we know what we're doing, no I don't have any questions, and yes, this conversation is over!" I called before anyone else decided to butt in. My face was as red as a tomato and I was officially more embarrassed than that time I passed out in front of the entire school. I left the living room and waited outside. My phone buzzed.

 _We're so going shopping xoxo – Alice_. I screamed.

 **A/N: I hope you all enjoyed these past few chapters! I got reviews challenging me to write 2-3 more chapters before the weekend, write some more sibling fluff, and write about the siblings finding out about Jake and Dani's "activities." I hope these past few chapters were up to your expectations! Keep the reviews coming and let me know what else you want! :)**


	83. Awkward

AWKWARD

My head was pounding. Now that all of the tension around Charlie's visit had vanished, I was finally able to focus on myself. At least, I tried to only focus on myself. I couldn't ignore the fact that my brothers were probably sacrificing my fiancée right now. I sighed.

So many things had changed. Hell, so many things were changing. Bella being a vampire brought on a whole world of challenges, but now, was it really so bad if we stayed long enough for me to finish high school? Charlie wanted her to stay. Seth _needed_ Renesmee to stay. I wanted them to stay more than anything. I knew that someday I would have to figure out how to live without them, but I was hoping that wouldn't happen until I was older. Much older. I never thought that this reality would be staring me in the face before I was a legal adult.

"I told you I'd be fine," Jake smiled, coming up behind me. I jumped. He scared the shit out of me. I started coughing, and I couldn't catch my breath.

"Jesus, Dani," Jake said, rubbing my back. I shook my head, still heaving. Someone came out and handed Jake a glass of water. He handed it to me and I took a quick sip.

"Dani, let's go back inside. You're coming down with something," Dad said. He must have been the one to bring the water.

"I'm fine, Dad," I told him.

"Your heart rate is elevated and you have a fever. I'm taking your temperature and your blood pressure, and then you're going to lie down for a little while and rest," Dad explained in his no-nonsense tone. I rolled my eyes and went inside to sit on the couch.

"Here," Dad said, placing a thermometer in my mouth. I glared at Jake, who was laughing at me. He took a quick look over where Edward, Emmett, and Jasper were standing and quickly shut up.

"99," Dad told me. "Not too bad, but something to keep an eye on."

My blood pressure was strong, which made Dad relax a little bit. Mom came out and handed me some orange juice. She also had another dreadful substance.

"I'm not taking that," I complained. No thank you.

"Dani," Dad rolled his eyes. "Just take it."

"No way, I'll be fine," I told them, starting to stand up. My body betrayed me and I went into another coughing fit. Damn.

"We don't know if Renesmee can get sick or not, yet," Edward explained. "If you don't take the medicine we'll have to quarantine you."

"Ugh," I cringed. This was going to taste terrible.

"The worse it tastes, the better it makes you feel," Edward spoke up. _Unless it's alcohol, I don't think that's actually how it works_ , I hissed at him in my mind. He rolled his eyes. I sighed.

"Bottoms up," I groaned, and choked the liquid down. I instantly reached for a glass, unfortunately, I grabbed the orange juice instead of the water, and it made my mouth taste even worse.

"Oh, come on, it can't be that bad," Jake teased, handing me the water.

"She's the absolute worst when it comes to being sick," Alice pointed out. I was still desperately trying to get the taste out of my mouth.

"If it's not that bad, then kiss me," I puckered at Jake, teasing him.

"Yeah, no thanks," he shuddered. I stuck my tongue out. Damn vampires and their lack of knowledge about human over the counter medicine.

"Mom, next time? Not grape," I told her. She nodded, taking everything away. I laid down on the couch.

It was quiet for a little while, but I could tell Emmett was bothering Edward with his thoughts. Every once in a while, Edward would kick him. Eventually, he walked over to Bella.

"Bella," Edward murmured. Emmett listened closely. "Do you remember a few months ago, I asked you to do me a favor once you were immortal?" _Immortal_? _Is that what he's calling it?_

"Oh!" Alice trilled a long, pealing laugh. Seth came back into the living room with Nessie, she had just woken up from a nap.

"What?" Emmett growled.

"Really?" Bella asked Edward. I had no idea what they were talking about.

"Trust me," he smiled.

"Emmett," Bella took a deep breath. "How do you feel about a little bet?"

Emmett was on his feet immediately. "Awesome. Bring it." Bella hesitated. "Unless you're too afraid…?" Emmett suggested when Bella didn't say anything.

"You. Me. Arm wrestling," Bella challenged. I rolled my eyes and leaned more on Jake. His warmth was nice. He skootched further onto the couch and pulled me on him.

"Where?" Emmett asked, challenging. He was thrilled.

"Dining Room table. Now," Bella squared. Alice was quick to step in.

"Actually, Bella," Alice said, "I think Esme is fairly fond of that table. It's an antique," she explained. Mom mouthed a thanks to her.

"Right this way, Bella," Emmett gestured to the back door. Bella followed him out back and towards the garage. As much as I wanted to see the event itself, I didn't feel like getting up. Instead, I closed my eyes.

* * *

I was somewhere in between unconsciousness and consciousness, and unfortunately forgot that I wasn't in my bed. I rolled over, and I fell onto the floor. Immediately, Mom and Rosalie were at my side, pushing the table away and helping me up. Now that Bella was better, I was back to being everyone's project.

"I'm fine," I promised, standing up. "Just a little shaken up. I'm good," I smiled. I looked around, trying to find Jacob, but he wasn't there.

"He's patrolling. Figured he'd go while you were napping," Rosalie explained. She was sitting on one of the other chairs reading a magazine when I rolled over.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Almost six. I was going to wake you up soon if you didn't get up on your own," Mom said. I nodded. She didn't stop staring at me, though.

"You good, Mom?" I asked her. She smiled, a bit uncomfortably.

"Look, honey…" she started. I sat up on the couch. "I know things are much, much different from when I was your age, but I just want you to know that if you have any questions about anything-"

"Oh dear God," I said, horrified. I tried to escape, but she wouldn't let me. Rosalie was laughing silently from where she was reading.

"I mean it, Danielle!" Mom exclaimed. "I'm your mom, I need to know you're being safe and I need to know that you know that you can come to me!"

"I know that mom, and yes, Jake and I are safe. No more grandbabies for you!" I told her, racing up the stairs as fast as my illness-ridden body would take me. I heard chuckles echo from various locations and finally reached the safety of my bedroom.

My family was never good about talking about "human" things like sex or puberty. My dad was a doctor, so he tried to approach it from a medical standpoint, but at the same time, he was well over 200 years old and was a man. My mom, over 100 years old, was a better resource, but it was still difficult for her to talk about it. Rosalie is the 'youngest' woman of my family and even then she was turned before Tampons became popular. Having women in your life who had never actually experienced putting in tampons trying to teach you how to use them was traumatizing. Lucky for me, girls in middle school talk, and I had plenty of friends – namely the internet! – who were able to help me out.

Sex, on the other hand, was something I had been exposed to from the time I was young. My family was obviously careful, but I was used to a no-privacy life. I've walked in on Emmett and Rosalie more times than I care to admit, and I have sound-proof headphones for a reason. Even so, they're all married and all traditional. The few times we've talked about it, I've always been told to wait for the right person, and for the right time. I think the reason everyone was so okay with it was that it was Jake. I never had sex with Andrew, because it didn't feel right. I never felt like it was appropriate with him. With Jake, I knew it was right. I've never been irresponsible, and I know no one is mad, but it's still so awkward.

"Dani?" Someone knocked on the door. It was Emmett and Jasper.

"Hey guys," I smiled.

"We brought you up dinner," Jasper mentioned, handing me a bowl of soup.

"Thanks," I told them. They looked at each other before continuing.

"Jake's good for you, Dani," Emmett nodded. "Just…don't grow up too fast, okay?"

"I won't," I promised. "I'll always be your baby sister," I smiled. They nodded.

"Heck yeah, munchkin," Emmett teased. Jasper nodded, and they headed back out.

Awkwardness and all, I really loved my family.


	84. Spy

SPY

Unfortunately my illness was enough to knock me on my ass for the weekend, but disappeared completely when I had to go back to school on Monday. I was exhausted, despite the amount of rest and relaxation I was able to get over the weekend, and if Jake had his way I would definitely still be in bed. Unfortunately no fever meant I was on my way back to school.

"Hey Dani!" Someone called the minute I stepped out of the car. I groaned when I saw who it was. Back to school and back to Ryan, apparently.

"Hello, Ryan," I glanced at Jake. He stepped out of the car and came over to me. I could see the look in his eyes – he was out for blood. I grabbed his hand.

"Is this the famous boyfriend I've been hearing about?" Ryan asked. There was a weird look in his eyes, as if he were sizing Jake up.

"Fiancée," Jake corrected, holding out his hand. He was being oddly polite.

"Wow, Danielle, you never told me you were engaged," Ryan sighed. He looked annoyed, like my being engaged ruined some plan of his or something.

"No, but I did tell you I was taken," I smiled. Ryan grimaced.

"One in the same, I presume," He shrugged. "Anyways, I have to go to class. I'll see you around, Danielle," he nodded, then looked at Jake. "Joshua," he nodded.

"It's Jacob," I corrected, before Jake could say anything.

"One in the same, I presume," Ryan repeated, walking off. He wasn't five steps away before Jake was pulling me closer to him.

"Stay away from that guy," He warned, kissing me on the forehead. "There's something weird about him."

"Yeah," I nodded. "Definitely not going anywhere near _that_ ," I teased, circling around where Ryan was standing earlier.

"Good. You're taken," Jake kissed again. I held up my ring.

"Damn straight," I kissed him back. "I've got to get to class, I'll see you tonight. Promise me you'll get some sleep today?"

"Nah, I'm running today, then I'll sleep tonight. Maybe even in a real bed too," Jake smiled.

"Good," I played with his fingers for a moment. School was much harder now after spending so much time with him over the summer. I didn't like being away even for only a few hours.

"Go to class, babe," Jake nudged. I sighed, but nodded.

* * *

"So, where did this Ryan kid even come from?" I asked Tyler during our English class. Tyler seemed to be his best bud here, so I figured he'd know the details.

"All I know is that he was in private school for years, but he got kicked out for some reason and now he's another filthy rich kid living it up in Forks High School – no offense," Tyler added on the end, knowing I fit in to that category.

"None taken. He wears blazers to school, Ty. At least we never stooped that low," I pointed out. Tyler nodded.

"When you guys came it was weird, but for other reasons," he explained. "Ryan's just…there's something else about him that is freaky. Not like, mysterious Cullen freaky, but like, there's some secret fetish or something."

"Maybe that's why he got kicked out of his old school?" I offered. "Do you know the name of it?"

"Jeez, I don't know…some east coast bullshit school for gifted psychos or something," Tyler complained. I couldn't help but laugh. That sounded like something Ryan would be interested in.

"I just hope he lays off of me," I mused. "He met Jake this morning, and I _know_ that that is going to blow up if he doesn't back off."

"Yeah, no one messes with Jacob Black. Remember that one time him and Edward went at it? Damn," Tyler smiled, remembering the good times. Were they good times?

"He'll kill him," I realized.

"Who?"

"Honestly? Either one," I said seriously. If Ryan did have a secret, I would have to find out about it. To do that, I was going to have to find out where this kid came from. To do _that,_ I was going to have to become friends with him.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Tyler asked.

"We need to find out his secret," I smirked. Tyler nodded.

"Let's get Mariana in on it. Her and Justin broke up over the summer and you know how she likes to flirt. Maybe that will get him off your back and into our group."

"Good idea," I thought. The only problem was, I really didn't think he was interested in anyone but me. We could try to use Mariana, but I wasn't sure how much help she was going to be.

* * *

It didn't take long before Ryan sought me out again. I could smell his cologne before I could hear him say my name. I was putting things away in my locker before I walked outside to find whatever lucky soul was picking me up. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be Jake.

"Hello, Danielle," He said, coming up behind me and wrapping me in a hug.

"Woah!" I yelled. "Ryan!"

"Sorry, I thought that was how boys great girls here," he smirked. "My apologies."

"Look, I told you, I'm taken. Stop flirting, and get that damn smirk off of your face," I warned him.

"I can take your boyfriend, trust me," Ryan promised.

"I don't think you know what you're getting yourself into," I scoffed. The fact that he wasn't intimidated by Jake in his human form was some twisted sense of confidence, but there was no way Ryan would survive Jake in his wolf form.

"I think I know exactly what I'm getting myself into," Ryan winked and then walked off.

"What the fuck is wrong with this kid?" I said out loud to myself before walking outside.

* * *

"How was school?" Alice chirped when I got into the car. Jasper wasn't with her, which surprised me. They were usually stuck together like glue.

"Awful," I groaned, and leaned my head back. "Can I just drop out already?"

"Not a chance," Alice warned. "I do have to ask, though, who's the blonde?"

"The what?" I sat up. Oh my God, she saw Ryan.

"The boy, the blonde, the one who looks like you," Alice pushed. "Who is he?"

"Some new kid named Ryan," I told her. "He's super creepy," I admitted.

"I saw what happened today," Alice mentioned. That's probably why she came to pick me up.

"There's _nothing_ going on between us," I promised. I was _not_ going to let this creep come between Jake and I, and I was not going to let my family think that I was messing around.

"I never said that," Alice assured. "I know you wouldn't do that."

"Can you see what he's up to? What his plan is?" I asked her.

"Not while I'm driving," Alice winked. I rolled my eyes.

"Well I _know_ that," I complained, "but when we get home. I just want to know if I should start taking alternate routes or something," I joked, which was scary, because it wasn't much of a joke.

"I'll see what I can find," Alice said as we pulled into the driveway.

* * *

"It was Phillips Academy in Massachusetts," Tyler told me over the phone. Jake was still patrolling, thank God. I was hiding in my bathroom with my laptop, hoping that everyone was too preoccupied with Renesmee to listen in on what I was doing.

"Damn," I said. It was one of the best private schools in the country. "Shouldn't he be trying to get to Harvard or something? Did the whole east coast kick him out?"

"I don't know. I haven't been able to figure out why he was expelled, though."

"Do you know where his family is from?"

"Seattle, I think," Tyler mused, "but when he got kicked out his parents wanted to give him a low profile, so he's here now. Are there any news articles from Massachusetts or anything? If he was such high profile this would have been documented somewhere."

"Maybe I should ask Charlie? He's coming over after work today, maybe he'd know more about this kid?"

"I wouldn't risk it. If Ryan or his family knew you were looking into him…" Tyler trailed. I nodded. It made sense.

"Ryan, what the hell did you do?"

* * *

"Hi, I'm looking for Danielle?" I heard a voice say from the front door. Shit. Shit. Shit.

"Of course," Mom smiled. Of _course_ Mom would let him in. He was a human, and she _loved_ having my human friends over. Bella wasn't here, so there was no reason he couldn't come in. Shit. Shit. Shit.

"Danielle, you have a guest!" Mom called up the stairs. I looked in my mirror and took a deep breath. Alice sent me a text. _Get rid of him!_ Oh God.

"Ryan!" I pretended to be surprised. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if you had a copy of the Calculus homework?" He asked. We weren't even in the same Calculus class. He was here because he wanted to see me. Someone from the school must have given him my address. Plenty of people knew where the infamous "Cullen Mansion" was, right?

"Yeah, um, I'll go get it," I mumbled, trying to keep calm. Damn it, Edward, why aren't you here when I need you?

"Nonsense, I can come with you. No need for you to go up and down the stairs," he suggested, following me. I turned around.

"It's fine, I'm used to it," I said, and before he could argue I ran upstairs. I shuffled through my backpack and just grabbed the whole damn book.

"Come sit down," I offered. Mom came back out.

"Can I get you anything to drink, Ryan?" she offered.

"He's good," I smiled at her, and Ryan chuckled. I flipped through the pages.

"Your mother is kind," he said. "It's a shame she didn't teach you proper hospitality."

"Back off," I whispered under my breath. "I don't know why you're here, or why you're stalking me, but you need to stop. You're not my boyfriend. You're not even my friend. You get your homework, you leave, and then you never speak to me again," I threatened him.

"It's a shame you feel that way, Danielle," Ryan smirked as he copied down the problems. "Because I'm not going anywhere," he winked.

"It was very nice to meet you, Mrs. Cullen," Ryan nodded to her.

"You as well, Ryan," Mom said, confused. She must have heard me talking to him.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Danielle," he gave me that creepy smile before he walked out.

"Do me a favor and don't let him in if he ever comes back," I told my mom. She was confused, but she nodded. I took my Calculus book and ran back upstairs.

* * *

"Nessie, look at how Aunt Dani is eating her food. You should try and eat like Aunt Dani," Bella encouraged, finally adapting and using the nickname. Renesmee's diet consisted of mostly blood, but Bella and Edward were trying to convince her to eat human food as well, since she could be sustained on that as well. It would help when she was old enough to go to school. She would fit in better.

Mom had cooked us a large dinner to try and get Renesmee to try different foods. She cooked Turkey and Chicken, more vegetables than I could name, stuffing, rice, cranberry sauce, and a plethora of desserts. Renesmee had already tried to grab for those multiple times. She was walking now, so she would escape from Bella's arms and run over to the island where they were waiting for her.

"At least she'll enjoy the cake on her birthday," I joked. "You gotta eat the gross stuff before you get there, Chomper," I told her. Bella gave me a weird look.

"Not you too," she complained. "Isn't Nessie bad enough?"

"The first two times I held her, she tried to bite my hand off. She thinks it's funny. When she stops biting me, I'll stop calling her Chomper," I shrugged. Bella shook her head. She couldn't argue with that logic. I took a bite of the chicken. I was surprised Renesmee didn't like it. I figured since she was on a hunter's diet she'd be into it.

"Unless there's blood involved, she won't touch it," Edward explained. Jake and Seth came waltzing in behind him and looked like they won the jackpot.

"Eat up," I pointed to the vast array of food. "I can't eat all of this by myself, and Renesmee surely isn't helping."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Jake smiled, and came and sat next to me.

"We do have something to talk about, Dani, and I'm not sure how you're going to take it," Dad mentioned. He was standing by the door. I looked up at him, a little scared.

"We received a gift today," Alice explained. "A gift that given the events happening at school, we think might be connected."

"Events…like Ryan?" I asked. Jake tensed up at the name.

"Yes," Dad said. "Mom told us about his visit this afternoon."

"Yeah, he's creepy," I told them. "He's definitely human though, right?"

"Yes," Mom confirmed. "Even so, that doesn't mean he's not connected to others who are not human."

"I had a vision a while back that showed Dimitri, Jane, and Alec coming to look for you and Bella, to see if you were still human," Alice said softly. I put my food down. My appetite was gone. Jake gave Alice the same look. Apparently he was unaware of this as well.

"I sent Aro an invitation to the wedding, hoping that it would hold them off for a little while, and it seemed to have worked. However, Bella received a gift in the mail today, and Aro made it clear that he would enjoy seeing the new Mrs. Cullen in person. He also asked how you were."

I took a deep breath. This day couldn't get any worse.

"That's not to say he's coming here any time soon," Edward promised, coming to sit beside me. I didn't realize I was rocking in my seat until Edward placed his hand on my shoulder.

"What does this have to do with Ryan?" I asked, needed desperately to know the connection.

"The letter also mentioned that Gianna had a son who was thoroughly enjoying Forks and had found a wonderful friend," Edward sighed.

"Oh my God," realization hit me. Ryan was a spy. That was why he touched me today. To see my reaction. To make sure I was human. To report it back to Aro.

"Ryan hasn't told them whether or not you're human, yet," Alice explained. "Now that I know what he looks like, I can watch him more clearly. But you need to talk to him."

"The Volturi…" I trailed. Bella was a vampire now. Bella was safe. "When we were fighting with the newborns and the Volturi came…you said they wouldn't honor a truce with werewolves….Ryan knows!" I exclaimed. "He knows I'm engaged to Jake! He told me, he told me he could take him. Oh my God…" I tried to get up, I tried to escape, but cold and warm hands were holding me down.

"We're going to figure this out. It's going to be okay. Ryan hasn't told them anything yet. We won't let anything happen to you," Edward comforted. I went back to rocking back and forth.

"I need some air," I finally said, and Edward nodded, letting me get out of my seat.


	85. Permanent

PERMANENT

Despite my family telling me to take it slow with Ryan, I cornered him at school the next day. I didn't wait for class, I just kissed my Dad goodbye and booked it towards him in the parking lot.

"We need to talk," I growled at him. He initially looked surprised, but quickly went back to his façade, showing off to those around him.

"Danielle, what a nice surprise!" He exclaimed. I rolled my eyes and grabbed his wrist, dragging him far away from human earshot.

"I don't think Jacob will appreciate you dragging me off to some private location for a thump, my dear," Ryan teased in the background. I ignored him.

"I know that you know what I know, so you need to tell me what you know," I spat at him. He looked confused, but gave me that creepy smile.

"You're going to have to be more specific than that, Danielle," he said, glaring at me.

"Unless you tell me what you know, I will not get any more specific than that," I told him.

"Then I can't tell you what I know. It turns out we both have secrets, now don't we," Ryan winked, walking away. I grabbed him.

"What the hell do you want with me?" I growled. "What the hell do you want with my family?"

"Your family? You're a human, Danielle. They're not your family. You're just their pet. Nothing more than a small kitten," he spat out.

"That's not true," I defended. "I'm one of them."

"Then why haven't they turned you? Why are they putting you in danger by keeping you human? One word from me and you'll be destroyed. They had orders, and they disobeyed. They'll be destroyed as well," Ryan explained.

"I don't want to be a vampire. They're trying to protect me," I said, wondering if that was too much information.

"They'll kill you. If it comes down to your life or theirs, they will kill you," Ryan promised. "Like I said, humans are nothing more than pets to vampires."

"Just because you're a rat doesn't mean we all have to be put into the same category," I told him. He shoved me against a tree.

"Don't you dare call me a rat!" He yelled, then regained his composure. He took a deep breath. "I like you, Danielle. I'm trying to protect you. I know what they'll do to you. Humans like us have no business being in their world."

"Is that why you haven't told them that I'm still human? Because you like me?"

"Because I'm not here for them. I'm here for revenge. They killed my mother because she was of no more use to them. That's what their kind does. They keep us as pets and then they kill us. I was sent here to see if you were still human or not, and I'm glad you are. I have a plan, Danielle. I have a plan that will save both of us, but now isn't the time. You are going to go through the rest of the day like we never had this conversation. You are going to go home and pretend like you don't know anything about me. We will talk more about this later. For now, you need to get to class. Remember, vampires are not your friends, Danielle. Think of all the times they've abandoned you. Think of all the sacrifices you've had to make so that they can be who they truly are. You don't belong in their world. Neither did my mother, and neither do I."

Ryan didn't give me time to respond after that, he just walked off. I tried to follow him, but he was walking much too fast for me to keep up. I didn't know who to trust anymore. I wanted to tell my family what he had said, but I also didn't want him to think I was betraying him. I didn't want to make him angry enough that he'd give Aro a phone call. I had to be friends with Ryan now, and I think that was the most disgusting part of all of this.

* * *

"How was school?" Jake asked when he came to pick me up. Ryan had been in the parking lot waiting, and briefly put his finger to his mouth reminding me to be quiet. I had seen Edward do this several times with Renesmee when Charlie was over.

"Slow," I lied. Jake was going to see right through it, but I needed Ryan to be able to trust me.

"Slow?" Jake teased. "You don't do slow."

"No, that's why I'm annoyed. I already know everything we're talking about in class. I could graduate tomorrow if they'd let me," I explained, hoping that would alleviate some of the skepticism. Jake smirked.

"Do you even know where you're applying to school yet?" Jake poked. "How can you graduate if you don't know what you're doing?"  
"I'm applying to University of Washington and I'm going in as a Sociology major," I told him. He raised his eyebrows.

"I thought you were going to do something with dance?" He asked.

"You can't get a job in Forks with a dance degree," I sighed. I would love to just be able to dance for the rest of my life.

"Do dance and business, and open up a dance studio," Jake suggested. "You don't need to pick a random major because you think you'll get a job in it. You're not going to be able to get a job in Forks as a sociology major anyways."

"I'll figure something out," I promised. What I was going to school for was literally the last thing I was worried about right now.

We pulled into the driveway and I started conjugating Spanish verbs in my head. I didn't know if Edward was home or not, but I didn't need him reading my mind and figuring out what Ryan was up to. I could do this on my own.

"Holy shit," I said as I stepped into the living room. Renesmee was walking – rather, stumbling – around, with the whole family looking at her like she was the new Jesus Christ.

"Watch your mouth," Mom warned me, taking her eyes off of the baby so that she could come take my bag and give me a hug.

"She's only a month old, right?" I clarified. Edward and Bella nodded. It felt like yesterday that everything had gone down, but still, a month had passed. Renesmee was aging very fast.

"She's slowing down, though. She's gonna start picking up words soon, we think, so just watch what you say," Seth mentioned. He was on the ground playing with her. Per usual, her toys were strewn around the room, but she had no interest in them. Only her werewolf. I could understand that.

"Can it, Seth," Jake rolled his eyes, walking to the kitchen. I smacked him on his way out, giggling.

"Dani, a word?" Dad whispered from behind me, making me jump. I hadn't even realized he was home.

"Sure," I said, and followed him upstairs to his office. It was still a little hard for me to be in here after what happened, but I was okay. I took a deep breath before walking in.

"Are you alright?" Dad asked, noticing the change. I nodded. I would be fine.

"Yeah," I told him. "What's up?"

"Bella and I are going to visit Aro," he said matter-of-factly. "Rather, she will be going alone, and I will be accompanying her to her connection in London. She'll be leaving next month, Alice has already booked the flight." I sat down, and began to panic again. Dad squatted down in front of me, and grabbed my hand.

"I am not going to let anything happen to you," Dad promised. "Aro cannot read Bella's mind. She will tell him that we are planning on letting you graduate and become an adult before changing you, just like we gave Bella that opportunity. He will have no reason to believe otherwise, since we kept our word regarding Bella."

This could work, I thought to myself. Ryan wouldn't have anything against me, because Aro would know that I'm still human. The intent to change would still be there, and Alice wouldn't be there to prove otherwise. Ryan could say that I was human, because it was the truth. We weren't lying. Aro would never know the difference.

"Are you okay?" Dad asked again. I smiled, and nodded.

"I'm great," I told him, squeezing his hand. He nodded.

"Okay then," he sighed, standing up. "I have to admit, you took that a lot better than I expected," Dad chuckled. I stood up and hugged him.

"I love you," I said. He seemed a little shocked, but went with it. I wasn't a pet. I was Carlisle and Esme's daughter. I was a sister to five – now six – incredible people. I was an aunt and a fiancée. I wasn't a kitten. I wasn't a pet. I was permanent.


	86. Irina

IRINA

I must have learned more about vampires in the next month of my life than I had in my prior seventeen years. It seemed like every time I saw Ryan, he tried to feed me some new propaganda.

It began with small sentences here or there about all of the terrible things vampires would do to humans. He told me of the first vampires in ancient Babylonia who were demons who would suck the spirits out of the living. He also told me about accounts that female vampires were responsible for spreading the plague throughout Europe. Eventually, we spent lunches in the library analyzing every piece of literature and any possible historical figure that could be considered a vampire. He taught me about the vampires he knew, particularly the Volturi. I tried to keep him focused on more fictional vampires and how to kill them, but he seemed to keep wanting to go back to the real thing. Ryan seemed to have already devoted time and energy to this research prior to meeting me. I, however, thought it was all a load of bologna, and could care less.

"Why the hell are we doing this?" I asked, resting my hand on my face. I was bored out of my mind and starving. I was exhausted from having to keep our 'lunch dates' a secret from my family, although Ryan seemed to be pretty good at avoiding Alice. He never specifically planned meetings, but he always found me at the most inopportune times. While most of our sessions happened at lunch, he never had so many days in a row where it could become predictable. He had been taught well, I guess.

"You need to know the truth. The Cullens have spent years brainwashing you, just like the Volturi did my mother. You need to know how dangerous they are," Ryan explained, flipping excitedly through an analysis on _Nosferatu_. I rolled my eyes.

"You realize 98% of this is fiction, right?" I groaned. If I had to read another fake fairy tale about how some girl thought she was immortal, I was going to lose my mind.

"There's always some reality in fiction, Danielle," Ryan reminded me. I sighed and sat up, gathering my things.

"Where are you going?" He asked. I pointed at the clock.

"Class starts in two minutes. Unlike our vampire friends," I flicked at one of the books, "I don't have super speed."

"Someday you'll see it, Danielle, I promise," Ryan smirked, going back to his books. Tyler bumped into me on the way out of the library.

"Sorry, Dani!" He called to me. Then looked and saw Ryan. He sighed. "Another lunch date?"

"It's study hall, technically this isn't a lunch date," I pointed out. He shook his head.

"Whatever, I thought you were going to stay away from him?" Tyler asked. "What does Jake think about all of this time you're spending with him? Isn't he crazy overprotective or something?"

"He is, and if he finds out about this, I will never be allowed back into this school," I warned Tyler. "So he won't find out," I threatened. Tyler shrugged.

"Hey, _I'm_ not going to talk to him. I just want to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into. Ryan's a weirdo," he shuddered. I chuckled.

"You have no idea," I told him. "Don't worry, I'm being careful. I'm just a little curious, that's all," I promised him.

"You know, curiosity killed the cat, Dani," Tyler told me.

"Did it? Damn," I winked at him, and walked off to class. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but if I was going to keep Ryan from spilling the beans to the Volturi I had to make him think I was at least a little bit interested in what he had to say. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, I guess.

* * *

Jake was picking me up just about every day now. He had worked a schedule out with the boys and Leah so that he would patrol with Leah during the day, and then Seth could patrol at night with Quil and Embry so that he could spend the day with Renesmee, and Quil could spend the day with Claire. Jake spent most nights at my house, but I was also working on moving some things over to his house, since I'd be living there permanently starting in January.

Bella was going to go to Italy in early December, right before Christmas. She'd come back, and we'd all celebrate the holidays here in the big house before they all abandoned me to go gallivanting in South America. Mom and Dad promised that wherever they were in February, they would pay for Jake and me to come visit them. They planned on being in the Amazon for a while, so we might end up meeting up in Peru that way Jake and I could see Macchu Picchu. In reality, I could pick wherever I wanted to go, and they would meet us there. Hell, I'd be fine with just relaxing on Isle Esme for a little while.

"What are you thinking about?" Jake asked on the way home.

"How weird these next few months are going to be," I answered honestly. Jake nodded.

"I'll take care of you," he smiled. I mirrored him.

"I know, but it will be the first time my parents aren't around. It's weird, you know?" I told him.

"Yeah, but we're going to spend literally all of your breaks with them in South America, which I think is going to be awesome, and then we're doing that big east coast tour in the summer. You'll be glad you have your space."

"It just feels like I'm all of a sudden growing up so fast," I mused.

"It's because you're spoiled," Jake teased, nudging me. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"You don't help with that, sweetheart," I teased right back. If anything, Jake spoiled me more than my family did.

"It's my job to spoil you, princess," Jake acknowledged.

"Yeah? It's in the job description?" I questioned him.

"Absolutely. Clause 3 section 5: spoil Danielle," Jake laughed. I joined him.

* * *

It was late, and I was in the living room doing homework. Emmett and Jasper were teasing Jake about all of the stupid things they were going to do on our vacations. I loved seeing them act like brothers. It was much better than all of the fighting they used to do.

Alice moved at a human pace around the room, unnecessarily tidying whatever she could. It was already perfectly clean. Rarely was it messy, especially with Renesmee around now. Speaking of Chomper, she was curled up next to me on the couch. She had been interested in my Calculus homework. Edward was helping me, which is why they were here so late in the first place. Renesmee wanted to do anything her daddy could do, and so she was right by her side. I didn't blame her when ten minutes into the session she was sound asleep.

Alice was clearly uncomfortable and was trying to keep herself busy. Jasper noticed this and told her to "let it go," and "she's not our concern," but I had no idea what he was talking about. A cloud of serenity swept the room, and I ignored them, going back to my homework. Alice stuck her tongue out at Jasper and lifted a rose-filled crystal vase off the floor, turning towards the kitchen. I didn't understand why any of that had to be replaced, but apparently there was going to be nothing left but perfection here tonight.

I had just returned back to a problem when I heard that same vase come crashing down onto the ground. I yelled in shock, but then remembered the sleeping child next to me and quieted down.

"What the hell, Alice?" I asked her, teasing, but also concerned. There was no way she could have dropped that on accident. Alice quickly turned to face me, turning so fast it was impossible for my eyes to recognize any movement. Her eyes were halfway here and halfway locked on the future, wide, staring, filling her thin face until they seemed to overflow it. Edward gasped, and reached for my hand. He was holding it too tight.

"Ouch," I whispered, and he quickly let go. His eyes flickered between me, Bella, and Renesmee, who was now waking up.

"What?" Jasper growled, leaping to Alice's side instantly. The broken crystal crushed under his feet. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her sharply.

"What, Alice?" He pressed. Jake moved closer to me, and Emmett moved next to Bella. His teeth were bared and his eyes darted towards the window, anticipating an attack. No one was speaking, no one else was moving.

"What is it?" Jasper shook Alice again.

"They're coming for us," Alice and Edward whispered together, perfectly synchronized. It was like something out of a damn horror film. Jake looked at me confused, and I shook my head. I had no idea what they were talking about. I looked around, and my family seemed to understand immediately. Whatever Jasper mentioned before about something not being Alice's concern certainly was now, and it certainly involved all of us.

"Who is coming?" I asked, not knowing if I was going to get an answer.

"The Volturi," Alice moaned. I paled.

"All of them," Edward groaned at the same time. He had finally released my hand, but now it was my turn to hold on.

"Why?" Alice whispered to herself before I could ask. "How?"

"When?" Edward whispered.

"Why?" Esme echoed.

"When?" Jasper repeated. Their voices were like ice. Alice's eyes didn't blink, but it was as if a veil covered them. They were blank. Only her mouth held on to her expression of horror. It was the only time I had ever seen my sister truly afraid. Sure, there were times when she was unsure of an outcome, but there was always a glimmer of hope in her eyes. There was none of that now, and that terrified me more than the thought of the Volturi coming.

"It won't be long," Alice and Edward said together again. Edward was lost in Alice's mind. Neither of them were truly here.

"There's snow on the forest, snow on the town. Little more than a month," Alice spoke.

"Why?" Dad echoed the question from earlier.

"They must have a reason. Maybe to see…"

"It's not because of Ryan, is it?" I asked, cutting my mom off. Alice cut me off.

"This isn't about you," Alice said hollowly. "They're all coming – Aro, Caius, Marcus, every member of the guard, even the wives."

"The wives never leave the tower," Jasper contradicted. "Never. Not during the southern rebellion. Not when the Romanians tried to overthrow them. Not even when they were hunting the immortal children. Never." I didn't know anything about what Jasper was referring to, and it made me realize that maybe Ryan was right. There was a lot about vampires that I just truly didn't know.

"They're coming now," Edward whispered.

"But why?" Dad asked again. "We've done nothing! And if we had, what could we possibly do that would bring this down on us?"

"There are so many of us," Edward answered dully. "They must want to make sure that…" he didn't finish.

"That doesn't answer the crucial question!" Dad complained. "Why?"

"Ryan," I said again. "I know you don't think this has anything to do with me, but Ryan has been pulling me aside a little every day. He doesn't plan it, so Alice wouldn't have seen it. I've been keeping it from all of you. He's been analyzing folk lore and vampires in the real world. I think he wants to try to take down the Volturi. He's been trying to get me to join him," I told them. I got some weird looks, but Edward shook his head.

"If an entire culture of vampires can't take down the Volturi there's no way two humans could ever do it," Edward growled. "This Ryan kid is an absolute-"

"Go back Alice," Jasper cut Edward off, and pleaded with Alice. "Look for the trigger. Search." Alice shook her head slowly, her shoulders sagging.

"It came out of nowhere, Jazz. I wasn't looking for them, or even for us. I was just looking for Irina. She wasn't where I expected her to be…" Alice trailed.

"Irina?" I asked. I hadn't seen her since we were there last fall. She hadn't been at the wedding.

"Irina saw Seth phase, I was worried. She looked upset," Bella explained. "Alice was watching to make sure she was okay."

Alice was searching, and she stared at nothing for a long second. Quickly, her head jerked up, and her eyes went hard. I heard Edward catch his breath beside me.

"She decided to go to them," Alice said. "Irina decided to go to the Volturi. And then they will decide…it's as if they're waiting for her. Like their decision was already made, and just waiting on her…" It was silent again. There was still so much that I didn't understand. What did Irina tell the Volturi? That Seth was a werewolf? Why was that such a big deal?

"Can we stop her?" Jasper asked. Alice shook her head.

"There's no way. She's almost there," Alice stressed.

"What is she doing?" Dad groaned.

"Are werewolves really that bad?" I asked quietly, to no one in particular. Was a truce with werewolves really this terrible? Bella shook her head. Like always, she had been the one to figure this mystery out.

"Think of what Irina saw that afternoon," Bella said in a low voice. "To someone who'd lost a mother because of the immortal children, what would Renesmee look like?" Everything was silent as the others caught up to where Bella was. I was still lost. Jake and Seth were wearing similar looks to mine.

"An immortal child," Dad whispered. Edward left my side to kneel beside Bella who had walked over to where her daughter was sleeping. He wrapped his arms over his wife and daughter.

"Immortal child?" I asked, trying to get a clarification.

"A child who was turned prior to reaching maturity. They're unable to learn or grow any further than their age will allow developmentally. They're the reason we've been able to convince the Volturi to let us keep you human for so long," Dad explained. I nodded in understanding, but I didn't understand why Renesmee would be considered an immortal child.

"But Renesmee isn't like them," I argued. "She is able to grow and she learns something new every day. She has learned to not bite me or Charlie, and knows to keep our secrets. She can control herself. She's already smarter than I am, there would be no reason…" I babbled, waiting for someone to take over. There was no way Renesmee could be mistaken for an immortal child, right? We could just explain to them what happened, and then they'd understand, right?

Unfortunately, the room just seemed to get colder. No one spoke for a long time. Jacob came to move next to me, and even my parents move instinctually closer.

"It's not the kind of crime they hold a trial for, love," Edward said quietly, answering my thoughts. "Aro's seen Irina's proof in her thoughts. They come to destroy, not to be reasoned with."

"But they're wrong," Bella said stubbornly. Edward squeezed her shoulder.

"They won't wait for us to show them that." His voice was still, quiet, and gentle, yet the pain and desolation tension was undeniable. His voice was like Alice's eyes – completely devoid of any hope whatsoever.

"What can we do?" Bella demanded. She wasn't going to just bow down and take this. She was holding tightly to her daughter in her arms. It reminded me of how my mom would hold me when I was little. Both of my moms. I never felt safer than in their arms. The world could be ending and I would feel completely at ease.

"We fight," Emmett said calmly.

"We can't win," Jasper growled. He was curled over Alice, who was still shaking.

"Well, we can't run. Not with Demetri around," Rosalie added. Emmett made a disgusted noise. "He's a tracker, ten times more powerful than James was," Rosalie explained, knowing that I would ask her. It was astonishing to me how much I truly didn't know about them. Maybe I should have paid more attention in Ryan's sessions.

"And I don't know what we can't win," Emmett opposed. "There are a few options to consider. We don't have to fight alone," he suggested, looking at Seth and Jake. Bella's head snapped up before I could protest.

"We don't have to sentence the Quileutes to death, either, Emmett!" Bella snarled at him. I let out a sigh and released Jake's arm. I didn't even consciously realize that I had grabbed him. My nails had left a mark. Bella wouldn't let anything happen to my boys.

"Chill, Bella," Jake spoke up. "This is more than just you guys. Seth and I can't ignore the danger to Nessie or Dani, and Sam and I can't ignore a leech invasion like this. I'll talk to Sam, but my guys are in." Seth nodded in confirmation. I gripped Jake's arm again, and he rubbed my shoulder.

"Not to mention that, thanks to Irina, Aro knows about our alliance with the pack now, too. They're in this as much as we are. Even so, I didn't mean you guys," Emmett explained. "I was thinking of our other friends."

"Other friends we don't have to sentence to death," Dad echoed Bella's earlier concern. This might involve the wolves, but it didn't involve other vampires.

"Hey, we'll let them decide," Emmett said, trying to placate the situation. "I'm not saying they have to fight with us. If they'd just stand beside us, just long enough to make the Volturi hesitate. Bella's right, after all. If we could force them to stop and listen. Though that might take away any reason for a fight…" Emmett trailed, and there was a hint of a smile on Emmett's face now.

"Yes," Mom said eagerly, despite Dad's weariness. "That makes sense, Emmett. All we need is for the Volturi to pause for one moment. Just long enough to listen."

"We'd need quite a show of witnesses," Rosalie said harshly. Mom nodded in agreement.

"We can ask that much of our friends," she said. "Just to witness."

"We'd do it for them," Emmett said.

"We'll have to ask them just right," Alice murmured. Her eyes were a dark void again. "They'll have to be shown very carefully."

"Shown?" Jasper asked. Alice and Edward both looked down at Renesmee. Alice's eyes glazed over again.

"Tanya's family," she explained. "Siobhan's coven. Amun's. Some of the nomads – Garrett and Mary for certain. Maybe Alistair." Alice began listing people I had never heard of or met before.

"What about Peter and Charlotte?" Jasper asked, half fearfully, as if he hoped the answer was no. I had heard about Peter. He was like a brother to Jasper. Charlotte was his wife.

"Maybe," Alice answered.

"The Amazons?" Dad asked. "Kachiri, Zafrina, and Senna?" Alice seemed too deep in her vision to answer, and then shuddered, and her eyes flickered to where Jake and Seth were sitting. She looked even more confused then she had been previously.

"I can't see," she panicked.

"What was that?" Edward asked. "That part in the jungle. Are we going to look for them?"

"I can't see," Alice repeated, getting increasingly frustrated.

"We'll have to split up and hurry – before the snow sticks to the ground. We have to round up whomever we can and get them here to show them," she zoned again. "Ask Eleazar," she directed. "There is more to this than just an immortal child. There is so much. We have to hurry," she whispered.

"Alice?" Edward asked. "That was too fast – I didn't understand. What was -?" Edward asked her, trying to follow.

"I can't see!" She exploded. "You stupid dogs!" She growled.

"Beat it, boys," Rosalie started to move them away, but Alice shook her head.

"They can stay. I'll see better away from Nessie, too. I need to go. I need to really concentrate. I need to see everything I can. I have to go. Come on, Jasper, there's no time to waste!" She grabbed Jasper's hand and yanked impatiently.

"Wait, you're leaving?" I asked her, shocked. Alice wasn't one to abandon ship.

"I have to. Do what you're told," she hugged me, a little too tight. "I love you," she said.

"Alice," I whined. I didn't want her to go. Tears were welling up in my eyes. Jasper came beside me and hugged me too. I lost it when I was in his arms. Someone had to pull me away.

"Hurry!" Alice called on her way out. "You have to find them all!" They darted out the door into the silver night, and just like that, they were gone.

 **A/N: Wow, you guys are awesome! Hopefully after this chapter posts this story will have over 250 reviews! That's incredible and I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all so much. I love hearing about what you want to see happen and what you like about the story. I know some of you challenged me to give you 5-8 chapters by today, but this was all I could do for you! I'm in a pretty busy part of the school year right now, so I will do my best to get as many chapters to you as possible, but it certainly won't be a new one every day like I've done sometimes in the past! I love you all and I can't wait for you to read the last leg of this story. I'm also happy to announce that, thanks to your support and continued interest, I will continuing Danielle's story after the original saga ends! I am going to begin it in another story and it will be listed as a sequel, but I will give you more information on that when the time comes :) Have a great rest of your week! xxx Lexi**


	87. Goodbyes

GOODBYES

Nobody spoke after Alice left. They all just sat there, waiting. Eventually, Jake encouraged me to go to bed. I shook my head. I didn't want to leave anyone behind. I ended up sandwiched between Mom and Jake, and at some late hour, sleep finally began to find me.

"Don't fight it, love," someone whispered, but I was too far gone to recognize who it was. Eventually the darkness consumed me.

* * *

When I woke up the next morning, I was in my bed. Jake wasn't here, and I heard noise downstairs, so I figured I'd take a quick shower and head down.

Seth was sitting on the couch, Renesmee in his lap. If he was here, then it meant that Jake was probably talking to Sam about doomsday. Seth and Renesmee were watching the family buzz about. They were all packing. Rosalie had traded in her silk dress from last night for jeans, running shoes, a button-down shirt, and a backpack. Mom wore a similar outfit. She smiled and approached me as soon as she noticed my presence.

"What's going on?" I asked, groggily. The shower hadn't done much to wake me up, unfortunately.

"We have to do what Alice said, sweetheart. We have to go track down our friends and ask them to help," she explained. Dad came up right behind her.

"Edward, Bella, and Renesmee will be staying here. I think that for the moment, at least until more of us have returned, it's better for you to stay with Jake. There are going to be a lot of vampires around the area, and while we would hope our friends wouldn't harm you, I can't possibly stand the thought of you being in anymore danger," Dad said, stepping forward and kissing me on the forehead.

"There's another option," I mumbled. It was something I had thought of last night, but didn't dare mention it in front of Jacob. I didn't know what my family would think of it, but I had to offer.

"That's hardly an option, Danielle," Edward growled, stopping in his tracks. Dad looked between us, confused.

"If the Volturi come here and see that I'm still human, they'll want to kill me. They already want to kill all of you. It might alleviate some tension _and_ add another body to the fight if you had one more vampire on your side," I suggested. Dad didn't get the message at first, and was still confused. Mom was as well. "Turn me," I told them. Dad took in a sharp breath, and Mom grabbed me tight.

"Oh sweetheart," she sighed, stroking my hair.

"It's not an option, Danielle. We'll figure everything out," Edward said. I ignored him. This wasn't his call to make.

"We're not there yet, sweetheart," Dad said softly. "We're not there yet."

"Yet," I shuddered. It _was_ an option, and Dad was seriously considering it.

"If it's something you're willing to do, then when the time comes, we can discuss it further. This isn't the time or place. Like I said, we're not there yet. Let's see what fully formed vampires we can get first, hm?" Dad placated. I nodded. If I didn't have to be a vampire, I didn't want to be. Even so, if I could do anything to help my family, I would. Even if that meant putting my humanity last.

"We would never ask that of you," Edward promised. I nodded.

"I know," I told him. "You didn't have to."

"We'll send whomever we can find back here to you," Dad explained to Edward and Bella. "Edward, you'll be the best at fielding that particular minefield."

"Where are you all going?" I asked Emmett, who happened to be standing close by. The discussion of my humanity had ended. For now.

"There's a lot of ground to cover, so we're splitting up," Emmett answered. "Rose and I are hunting for nomads."

"You'll have your hands full here," Dad interrupted, still giving directions to Edward. "Tanya's family will be here in the morning, and they have no idea why. First, you have to persuade them not to react the way Irina did. Second, you've got to find out what Alice meant about Eleazar. Then, after all that, will they stay to witness for us? It will start again as the others come – if we can persuade anyone to come in the first place," Dad sighed. "Your job may well be the hardest. We'll be back to help as soon as we can." He placed his hand on Edward's shoulder for a second, and then kissed Bella's forehead. He came over to me, and pulled me into a hug.

"I love you so very, very much my sweet daughter," he sighed. I could see regret in his eyes. Never in a million years could they have predicted my life would be like this. There was an apology waiting to be said, but I couldn't stand it if that was the last thing my father ever said to me.

"I'll be fine," I promised him. "Just come home," I said, breathing in his scent. He nodded.

"We won't have our phones on us," Mom explained, "so Edward's in charge. Do whatever he tells you and just…try to stay out of trouble," Mom said. "You're the greatest gift I have ever been given, sweetheart," she said. If she were a human, she would be tearing up. _I_ was tearing up. This could very well be the last time I ever saw my parents.

Rose and Emmett came up, and both hugged me. "We'll be back, squirt," Emmett promised. I nodded and watched as they all left. We wished them all luck, and they were on their way.

As soon as they were gone, Renesmee twisted in Seth's arms to touch his cheek. "I don't know if Carlisle's friends will come," Seth answered her. "I hope so. Sounds like we're a little outnumbered right now," Seth murmured. Renesmee knew. She understood what was going on. She looked anxious, and I was surprised Bella was letting Seth tell her so much information.

"No, we can't help; we've got to stay here," Seth continued. "People are coming to see you, not the scenery." Renesmee frowned at him. "No, I don't have to go anywhere," Seth told her. Then, he looked at Edward. "Do I?" he asked. Edward hesitated.

"Spit it out, Edward," I muttered, knowing that Jake would have the same boundaries.

"The vampires who are coming to help us are not the same as we are," Edward explained, looking between Seth and me. "Tanya's family is the only one besides ours with a reverence for human life, and even they don't think much of werewolves. I think it might be safer, particularly for Renesmee, if the choice to believe our story about her is not tainted by an association with werewolves."

"They'd turn on you just because of who you hang out with now?" Seth asked.

"I think they would mostly be tolerant under normal circumstances," Edward answered. "But you need to understand – accepting Nessie will not be a simple thing for any of them. Why make it even the slightest bit harder?"

"The immortal children were really that bad?" I asked him.

"Tanya, Irina, and Kate lost their mother because of it," Edward explained. "Could you imagine the scars that would leave on you? Because of a child?"

"I can, actually," I spat at Edward. He knew that I knew what it felt like to lose a mother.

"I apologize, it was careless of me to say that," Edward pinched his nose. I knew he was sorry, he was just stressed. "You can't imagine the depth of the scars they've left in the collective vampire psyche, Danielle."

"Edward…" Seth trailed, looking at Renesmee.

"I know, Seth. I know how hard it is to be away from her. It's why it will be easier for Dani to move to be near Jake, since having either of them here is dangerous. We'll play it by ear – see how they react to her. In any case, Nessie is going to have to be incognito off and on in the next few weeks. She'll need to stay at the cottage until the right moment for us to introduce her. As long as you keep a safe distance from the main house…"

"I can do that," Seth acknowledged. "As far as tomorrow goes, I met them at the wedding, right?

"Yes, you spoke with Tanya. Her family is the closest of our friends. In this particular case, it's probably better if we get things out in the open as soon as possible. You can stay here."

"Right," Seth nodded, happy that he'd have one more day with his girl.

It was quiet for a little while, and Bella moved towards the back window with Renesmee.

"They'll kill me, right?" I asked Edward. I needed to know. While Jake wasn't here, I needed to know.

"If they find out your still human, yes. They won't hesitate to kill you. I know you think your humanity matters, but it truly doesn't. If we can't convince them that Renesmee is a hybrid, there will be no argument about you. They'll kill us all, regardless," Edward explained.

"They'll hunt me down, though. That tracker…Demetri?" I asked.

"Likely," Edward answered. I nodded.

"So why can't I join you? If I die either way, then why can't I die with my family?"

"Dani, you can't possibly understand-" Edward started, but I cut him off.

"Can you please stop saying that?" I pleaded with him. "Can you please stop saying things like 'Dani, you don't understand' and 'Dani, you're just a human'? Don't you think that I've been around long enough to understand some of this? I've been through more than my fair share of near death experiences and vampire wars for the average human. I've seen Bella go through the transformation. I know what I'm signing up for, Edward. If it comes down to a confrontation in the field, I want to be there. I want to be standing by my fiancée and my family. If we're all going to die, I want to die fighting for my niece. I don't want to die because I was locked up in some closet somewhere hiding just to come face to face with a monster and have him kill me because I am unable to defend myself," I argued. Edward sighed.

"You're right," Edward looked me in the eyes for the first time. "I can't justify changing you though, Dani. Not with a sword over your head like this. Let's see if we can make things work out, first. Let's see if Alice comes back, and what she thinks. Just…let this play out before you do anything drastic."

"I think we're far beyond drastic, Edward Cullen," I scoffed at him. He nodded.

"Ain't that the truth," he chuckled, and pulled me into an embrace. It was going to be a long week.

 **A/N: Woohoo! Storming Sky has reached over 250 reviews! Thank you all so much!**


	88. Superhero

SUPERHERO

"Edward, I know this is the last thing you're worrying about right now, but we have any boxes?" I called downstairs. I had spent the remainder of the morning packing my room up. Fortunately, I knew this was coming, so I had already begun cleaning things out and piling things up. The only problem was, I had also relied on the fact that all of my siblings were faster and stronger than I was. I also counted on the fact that I had another month before I had to move out. Now, I had to do it all on my own, and within the next few days.

"You don't need to bring everything," Edward said, bringing me up two suitcases. "Just clothes and whatever else you think you might need for the next month or so. Best case scenario, we'll be able to send someone to bring things over to you."

"I'd rather just bring as much as possible now," I told him. I placed a pile of clothes in one of the suitcases and sighed. I had lived in this bedroom my entire life, and now, I was being forced to leave it.

"I know," Edward said, rushing over to me. The tears started falling down my face faster than I could stop them. There wasn't anything Edward could say. There wasn't anything _anyone_ could say. This whole situation sucked.

"I'll get to see everyone again, right? Before the Volturi come? Even if the house is invaded?" I asked, sniffling. Edward handed me a box of tissues.

"I will do everything in my power to make sure you get to see everyone again," Edward promised. I wasn't sure if it was a promise he could make, but I was going to hold him to it.

"Do you think Alice and Jasper will come back?" I asked. I missed having them around, and they'd only been gone for a little while. Edward sighed.

"I don't know. It's different with them. Carlisle didn't create them, they chose us," Edward explained.

"I know that, but how could they just abandon us like that?" _Abandon me_ , I added in my head.

"I wish I knew," Edward rubbed my back. Jake walked up then, and leaned against the wall. I tried to smile when I saw him, but it was so hard. Everything was so hard.

"I talked to Sam," Jake mumbled. "Both packs are in. We'll be there." I shuddered, knowing that I could very well lose everything. I tried to convince myself that this was the same thing that happened last spring with the newborns, but I couldn't lie to myself like that. This was different. This was terrifyingly different.

"I have to go check on Bella and Nessie, I'll be back later, okay?" Edward said. Bella, Seth, and Nessie had already left for the Cottage. Nessie hadn't gotten a good night's sleep on the couch, and had been cranky. I nodded. I wasn't going to keep him here. He needed to be with his girls.

"I love you," I told him. He nodded.

"I love you too, Danielle," he kissed my forehead and walked out. I looked at Jake, who immediately moved to trade places with Edward. I shook my head and got up before he was able to hold me, though. He looked shocked.

"I need to pack," I explained. "If we just sit here and I let myself think about all of the bad things that are happening, I'm going to start crying again. I already have a headache and I'm already puffy. I can't just sit here and cry," I cracked. I couldn't do it. "If I'm packing, I'm distracting myself."

"Okay, then we pack," Jake agreed.

* * *

Jake took his truck here, so we packed it up that night with whatever was ready to go. I kept my bed made, just in case, and all of my furniture was still there. I packed most of my clothes and other essentials. I had some wiggle room in case I forgot anything, but Jake and I were fairly thorough.

"I think I'm gonna order us a pizza," Jake mentioned as we were about to walk out the door. It was creepy. My house wasn't usually this quiet.

"Okay," I told him. "I'm probably only gonna have two slices, so get what you want. Make sure you order some for your dad, too."

"Okay, I'll see you outside," he said, walking out and simultaneously flipping his phone open and dialing the number. I took a deep breath and looked around the empty house. Someone had finally cleaned up the glass on the floor, which wasn't something I noticed until now. I was about to head outside when I remembered something, and ran upstairs.

* * *

"Dani? You up here?" I heard Jake yelling. I was hiding under my Dad's desk, sobbing like a tired baby. I knew he could hear me, so I didn't bother saying anything.

"Baby? You okay?" He asked. I must have looked completely pathetic, because his eyes were so sad. I was gripping my bunny harder than I had ever gripped anything before. I had read the poem probably six or seven times since escaping up here.

"Why do bad things keep happening to me?" I asked softly, knowing that the question alone would break Jake's heart. Jake let out a breath, and sat down.

"I don't know, hun," he placed his warm hands on mine. "It's not fair."

"They said, they've always said that – that, I wouldn't have had a life if they didn't adopt me. That I would have been in foster – foster care forever if they hadn't adopted me. That this was my best option," I stuttered my way through. "I don't know how this can be the best option," I cried. "It hurts so much!" I was wailing now. Everything that I had been trying to keep together was coming out.

It was a long time before Jake spoke up again. He took the picture that was on the floor, the one I couldn't bring myself to look at, and stared at it for a few minutes. He pointed.

"Who's that?" He asked. He was pointing at my dad.

"Jake, you know who that is," I said, confused. He nodded.

"I know who he is to me," Jake said. "I want to know who he is to you."

"He's my dad," I told him, deadpanning. What was he getting at?  
"That's right," Jake scooted closer, as best as he could. "He's your dad. And what do dads do?" I rolled my eyes. I knew where he was going with this now.

"They protect their daughters," I told him. Jake nodded.

"Do you think that your dad would let himself die without ever seeing you again? Don't you think he would do everything in his power to make sure you were safe, and taken care of?"

I nodded. That's exactly what he would do.

"Your dad is a fucking superhero, Dani," Jake said, and it took me off guard. I knew that he had earned some respect for Dad while Bella was sick, but I didn't know he thought of him in that way. "He has saved everyone in your family. He saved _you_. He saved me. He can save anyone. He's going to pull us out of this mess."

"You really think so?" I asked him. Jake nodded.

"I know so. It's what dads do. Speaking of which, my Dad is going to kill me before the leeches ever could if we don't get back to my house with the pizza soon," he joked, smiling. I couldn't help but feign a smile.

"There's my girl. Now take the bunny and let's get out of here," Jake helped me get up from underneath the desk.

"Can we come back in the morning? I want to see Tanya," I asked Jake. Jake made a face.

"I don't know, Dani…didn't Edward stay we should steer clear of this place?"

"Yes, once the others get here. Tanya's my family, Jake. She knows about you guys. I've already lost so much…" I trailed. I didn't mean to play that card, but I needed a sense of familiarity.

"Yeah, sure, fine," Jake rolled his eyes. "If you're going to play the damsel in distress thing," he teased.

"If it gets me what I want," I teased right back. We made it to the truck, and I looked back at my house.

"You need a minute?" Jake asked, rubbing my back.

"No, I think I'm okay," I told him. "It's just weird. I've never seen the house empty before."

"It won't be for long," Jake promised. I looked over at him. He was right. Soon enough, this place would be popping with vampires.

 **A/N: Funny how I say I'm not going to be able to update as frequently, and then somehow miraculously I'm able to bust out chapters for you all. I love writing this part of the story, and I hope you all are enjoying reading it! I do have one question for you all though, since you seem to be interested in Dani's humanity...should she be the one to tell Jake her plan, or should it slip out another way? Let me know!**


	89. Frustration

FRUSTRATION

 _I was thirsty – so thirsty. The burning feeling in my throat wouldn't go away. I didn't know how to make it go away. It was raining – storming outside, even – and I was stranded in the woods somewhere. There wasn't anyone around who could help me._

What happened? _I thought to myself._ How did I get here?

 _What seemed like ages later, I heard the sound of an engine on the highway. I ran, faster than I ever thought possible, to the side of the road, hoping they would see me. Hoping they would help me._

 _"Please!" I shouted, but they couldn't hear me. The burning in my throat worsened. The car drove right past me. I cried out in agony._ When would this torment end?

 _I heard a crash, about a mile down the road. I ran, thinking of the car I had just seen. Surely, this couldn't be a coincidence?_

 _There it was, destroyed by the metal of the guard rail. There was someone there who had already found the wreck. He looked up at me as I approached, like a lion preparing to defend its kill. Still, I moved forward carefully, the pain in my throat no longer bearable._

 _Despite the downpour, I could see clearly the figures in front of me. The man, crouched over the woman in the front seat._

 _"The mother's mine. You can have the child," The man said, never looking up._

 _"Do I know you?" I asked him. Only then, did I get his attention._

 _"Of course, Danielle," he smirked. "Who do you think has ensured you live to this point? Drink up," he said, pointing to the young girl._

 _I threw open the door to the backseat of the car. It crushed easily in my powerful grip. The girl began to scream. She too, like her mother, was covered in blood. I tried not to breathe. If I didn't breathe, the pain hurt less._

 _It was then that I was able to get a good look at the young girl._

 _"What's your name? I asked her softly. I didn't want her to be afraid, but I was_ so _thirsty._

 _"Danielle," she whimpered. I looked at her shocked. My name was Danielle._

 _"Danielle, drink up!" The man ordered from beside me. He had already finished with the mother. I looked at him, and only then did I realize who I was talking to. His eyes, once a piercing blue, were a bright red._

 _"Danielle, you must drink!" He ordered, grabbing my head and pushing it towards the girl. He was stronger than I was._

 _Of course he was stronger. He was Ryan._

* * *

I woke up, shaking. I didn't know what time it was, so I leaned up to see Jake's alarm clock. _2:00 AM_. I groaned. Too early to get up, but I wasn't sure I could fall back asleep. If I got up, Jake would wake up and he'd be worried.

 _This damn nightmare_ , I thought to myself. It was a recurring nightmare, something that had been a piece of me since I was in that damned accident. I sighed. _How did I get stuck in this crazy world?_

Jake rolled over, and I held my breath, afraid that I woke him up. Luckily for me, he rolled over in a way that allowed me to get out of bed without disturbing him. His protective arm had moved away from my body.

I kicked my legs over the side of the bed, and grabbed one of Jake's sweatshirts that was on a nearby chair, pulling it over my head. The nights were getting colder, that was for sure. I grabbed my cellphone that was on the night stand, too. I didn't know if this was going to work, but I had to try.

I walked out of Jake's bedroom, through the living room and kitchen, and onto the porch. I carefully open the door and shut it again, praying that I wasn't making too much noise.

As suspected, the phone rang, but no one answered. I was surprised, however, that the voicemail was still set up. I couldn't say that I was expecting that.

"Hey, Jazz…it's Dani," I spoke softly into the phone. Jake's window was right next to the porch. While most of the time he could sleep through a hurricane, I didn't want this to be the one time he woke up to the slightest of noises.

"I know that you're probably not able to call me back, but I had that nightmare again. It was bad this time, Jazz," I spoke, tears starting to trickle down my face. I missed my brother. "I don't know what to do. I wish you were here. I miss you. I love you," I ended the voicemail and hung up. I thought about calling Alice too, but I she was stressed enough as it was. A part of me was upset with them for leaving. We needed them at times like this. Another part of me understood why they had to go. Everyone gets selfish when lives are in danger.

"Dani?" I heard a voice from behind me and swore. I had been quiet, but not quiet enough apparently. Fortunately, it wasn't Jake. It was Billy.

"Are you okay?" He asked. I shook my head. I wasn't okay. He nodded.

"Anything I can do?" Billy asked, and I remembered that time he told me that Jake used to have nightmares about his mom. He knew about mine, he just didn't want to hover. I shook my head.

"I wish there was," I told him. "I'm sorry I woke you," I apologized.

"It's okay, Dani," He said solemnly. "Jake said you were having a rough time. I can't blame you."

"I should get back to bed," I started to stand up. Billy put a hand up to stop me.

"Whatever it is that you're holding inside of you, whatever secret you're keeping…he can handle it," Billy promised. "My son is strong."

I smirked. Of course Billy knew I was hiding something. "Of course he is," I agreed. "He's the alpha."

"A damn good one at that, too," Billy said proudly.

"I'm sorry that he's gotten dragged into all of this. I wish whoever was in charge of the imprinting knew that I came with fine print," I tried to joke. Fine print that said that whomever loves this girl is also sentenced to death. It wasn't a very funny joke.

"You're worth it," Billy affirmed. "You didn't know him before. With Bella…he was happy, but there was something missing. She broke his heart so many times…" Billy trailed. I had heard the stories. "With you, there was no doubt. He'd come home and talk about you for hours," Billy laughed. "He'd go to the ends of the Earth to see you happy."

"I just wish he didn't have to," I sighed. "I wish that I could give him a normal life. The life that Sam and Emily, Jared and Kim, and even Paul and Rachel are going to get. I can't give him that," I stressed.

"He knows. He doesn't expect that of you. He never has," Billy explained. I sighed.

"I did a terrible thing, Billy," I admitted, thinking of the conversation I had with Edward earlier. Billy looked confused.

"What could you have done that is so terrible?" Billy squeezed my shoulder.

"I made a promise I can't keep anymore," I confessed. It was so hard for me to tell him this.

"I'm sure it will all work itself out in the end, my dear," Billy tried, but he didn't understand, and I was getting frustrated with myself.

"It won't," I shook my head. "He's going to hate me," I panicked, and stood up and began to pace on the porch. I ran my hands through my hair, pulling some strands out. Why did life have to be so damn _complicated_?

"Hey, Dani, hey," Billy said, trying to calm me down. He couldn't reach me anymore, but he could roll in front of me. "Look at me," he said, and I did. I got back down on the ground and looked him in the eyes, because when Billy Black tells you to do something, you do it.

"There is nothing – _nothing_ – you could do that would _ever_ make my son hate you," Billy swore. I took a deep breath. I still didn't believe him. Normal imprints were incapable of so many things that Jake and I had gone through because vampires were the exception. Vampires were the fine print. If I became a vampire, he might not have to love me anymore, and I didn't think I could live with that.

"Billy," I said softly. "I can't let my family die without me standing beside them," I told him. "I can't let Jake die without being there with him. If it comes down to a standoff, I will be standing there beside the ones I love, and I can't do that if I'm human."

Billy sighed. He understood. He looked me in the eyes, and I tried to look away, but I couldn't. Those weren't Billy's eyes. Those were the eyes of an Alpha. The eyes of someone who was so powerful that they could make a grown man get down on his knees and beg for mercy. The eyes of someone I never wanted to disappoint, but couldn't help feeling like I did just that.

"You need to tell my son," Billy finally spoke. "If I know my son the way I do, then I know that he will understand what you need to do."

"You think that he'll be okay with it?" I asked Billy, shocked. Billy shook his head.

"I think that you two are strong together. You've already handled so many things. I'm not sure what will happen, but I'm sure that what's meant to be will be."

"Billy, what the hell does that mean?" I scoffed. I didn't need Yoda right now, I needed to know if my fiancée was going to break up with me if I chose my family over my humanity.

"It means that you need to talk to Jacob. Either way, I know you'll make the right decision," Billy said. "Now, I think it's time that both of us got back to sleeping," he nodded towards Jake's bedroom window. I closed my eyes in frustration. This hadn't helped. At all.

Billy held the door open for me as I walked back into the house. I took another quick look at him before heading back into the bedroom.

I took Jake's sweatshirt off and placed my phone on the nightstand before crawling back into bed with Jake. I was grateful that he hadn't woken up.

I curled into him, and latched on. I didn't know how much longer I had with him.

"I love you so much," I whispered. "I never wanted this to happen."

I closed my eyes, and hoped that a better sleep would carry me to the morning.


	90. Show Time

SHOW TIME

Jacob knew as soon as we got up something was wrong. Of course he knew. He always knew. I didn't talk much through breakfast, and no one pushed, which I was grateful for.

"Be careful out there," was all Billy said to us as we piled into Jake's car and drove over to my house. Could I even call it that anymore?

"What's wrong?" Jake asked, as soon as we were out of Billy's earshot. He didn't know that Billy already knew what I wanted to talk to him about. He thought he was giving me privacy.

"I can't talk about it right now, but I promise I will tell you soon," I rested my head on his shoulder. I couldn't stand the thought of him hating me.

"It's eating you alive Dani," Jake observed. "Did you have a nightmare or something?"

"Yeah," I told him. It wasn't a lie.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" He asked. He hated when I did this.

"If I woke you up for every nightmare I had you'd never sleep," I explained. "You worry too much," I teased. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine, but I know better than to argue with you over this kind of thing," Jake sighed. "Just…with everything going on, I know you're hurting. Please, just…wake me up next time. I want to be there for you."

"I will," I promised. If you still wanted to be there for me after I told you I planned on becoming a vampire.

* * *

We got to the house and Nessie ran right up to Jake and I. She was speaking now, and it was a little freaky.

"Auntie Dani!" She cried. She was so much happier than I expected her to be.

"She understands what's going on at a much more mature level than we hoped, but she's still a child," Edward explained. "It's a good thing."

"Well, I'm glad to see you too, Chomper," I gave her an Eskimo kiss. She reached her hand for my face and showed me a picture of my eyes. I looked awful. _Sad eyes_ , she thought.

"I just miss everyone," I told her. She nodded, and jumped down to run back to Seth, who had started a conversation with Jake.

"Do you really think this will work?" I asked Edward. He hesitated just the tiniest bit and then shrugged.

"If we find enough friends to stand beside us, maybe," he answered. Bella was beside him. I didn't need to be a mind reader to know what she was thinking. We had already had this conversation several times throughout the years.

"It's not your fault, Bella," I told her. Bella smiled.

"I keep dragging you into this mess," Bella said. "I wish you could just live a normal life."

"Keep that up and I'll start thinking you're my brother instead of my sister-in-law," I teased her.

"Tanya shouldn't be too much longer," Edward said, changing the subject. "We need to be ready."

There was already a plan in place. While Edward didn't think a fight would break out, they were definitely prepared. Jake had already told the pack to stay close, but invisible. I was stuck waiting with Renesmee around the corner from the front door in the dining room, sitting at the table. Seth and Jake were in the room, but gave me enough safe space in case they had to phase quickly. Bella and Edward waited with us for now, but they would move towards the foyer when our guests arrived. I knew it was killing Bella to let go of her daughter, but this was the safest way to present Renesmee.

"What if they don't like me?" Renesmee whispered. All eyes flashed to her.

"Of course they'll-" Seth started to say, but Bella's glare made him stop. Renesmee was too smart to make promises she couldn't keep.

"They just don't understand you yet, Chomper," I told her. "It's not because they don't like you. They just have never met anyone like you before. We just need to get them to understand that you're special, and that it's not a bad thing."

She shook her head in disagreement. She thought of our strained faces and said, "This is my fault."

"No," We all said at exactly the same time, but before we could argue further, the supernaturals in the room perked up, and eventually I picked up what they were listening to. The Denali Clan had arrived. Edward and Bella darted around the corner to stand waiting by the door. Renesmee hid in my hair. Jacob and I stared at each other across the table, desperation on our faces. This _had_ to work.

I didn't hear them approach the front doors, and Edward opened the door before they could even knock.

"Edward!" a female voice enthused. "Bella! Oh my goodness, you look incredible!"

"Hello, Tanya. Kate, Eleazar, Carmen," Edward greeted, and a chorus of hellos followed. I could hear Bella greet them as well. Eventually, everything calmed down enough to get to the real information.

"Carlisle said he needed to talk to us right away," the first voice said, Tanya. I wanted desperately to turn around to get a better idea of what was happening, but I knew I couldn't risk Renesmee like that.

"What's the problem? Trouble with the werewolves?" Jacob rolled his eyes.

"No," Edward said. "Our truce with the werewolves is stronger than ever."

A woman, I'm assuming Tanya, chuckled. "Aren't you going to invite us in?" Tanya asked. I heard a shuffle of feet as she entered the house.

"Where's Carlisle?" I heard Eleazar ask.

"Carlisle had to leave," Edward answered. There was a short silence.

"What's going on, Edward?" Tanya demanded. There was no doubt she was the leader of their group.

"If you could give me the benefit of the doubt for just a few minutes," he answered. "I have something difficult to explain, and I'll need you to be open-minded until you understand."

"Is Carlisle all right?" Eleazar asked anxiously. They were good friends.

"None of us is all right, Eleazar," Edward said. "But physically, Carlisle is fine."

"Physically?" Tanya asked sharply. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that my entire family is in very grave danger. But before I explain, I ask for your promise. Listen to everything I say before you react. I am begging you to hear me out." A longer silence greeted his request. Through the silence, Jacob and I stared wordlessly at each other. I was biting my lip so hard I was convinced it was going to come off. I was praying to every God that I could think of that Tanya would hear Bella and Edward out. Seth was paler than I'd ever seen him before, more nervous than either of us.

"We're listening," Tanya finally said. "We will hear it all before we judge."

"Thank you, Tanya," Edward said fervently. "We wouldn't involve you in this if we had any other choice." I heard some movement, but I couldn't tell where they were going. I held Renesmee tighter, and she looked like she wanted to say something, so I placed my finger on my lips to remind her how important it was to be quiet.

"I knew those werewolves were involved," I heard Tanya mutter.

"Yes, and they're on our side. Again," Bella said, arguably harsher than necessary. My eyes met Jake's again. Nonetheless, the reminder silenced Tanya.

"Tell us about the danger, Edward," Tanya redirected. "We'll listen, and we'll be on your side, where we belong." Edward took a deep breath.

"I'd like you to witness for yourselves first. Listen – in the other room. What do you hear?" It was quiet, and then there was movement.

"Just listen first, please," Edward said.

"Dani, I assume. I can hear her heart," Tanya said. "There are two others with her, are those the werewolves?" she asked, disgusted. I'm surprised she didn't ask why I hadn't come out to greet her.

"What else?" Edward pressed. There was a pause.

"What is that thrumming?" Kate or Carmen asked. "Is that… some kind of a bird?"

"No, but remember what you're hearing. Now, what do you smell? Besides the werewolf, and besides Dani."

"Is there another human here?" Eleazar whispered.

"No," Tanya disagreed. "It's not human… but… closer to human than the rest of the scents here that aren't Dani. What is that, Edward? I don't think I've ever smelled that fragrance before."

"You most certainly have not, Tanya. Please, please remember that this is something entirely new to you. Throw away your preconceived notions," Edward nearly begged.

"I promised you I would listen, Edward," Tanya said, a little annoyed that he hadn't gotten to the point.

"All right, then. Dani? Bring out Renesmee, please." My legs felt strangely numb, but I knew that feeling was all in my head. I forced myself not to hold back, not to move sluggishly, as I got to my feet and walked the few short feet to the corner. The heat from Jacob's body flamed close behind me as he shadowed my steps. Seth flanked my side as well. I took one step into the bigger room and then froze, unable to force myself farther forward. Renesmee took a deep breath and then peeped out from under my hair, her little shoulders tight, expecting a fight. I couldn't blame her.

"Here goes nothing, Chomper," I whispered, taking a step into the living room.


	91. Witness

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize comes from Ms. Meyer.**

WINTESS

As soon as she saw us, Tanya skittered back four steps, her strawberry curls quivering, like a human confronted by a venomous snake. Kate jumped back all the way to the front door and braced herself against the wall there. A shocked hiss came from between her clenched teeth. Eleazar threw himself in front of Carmen in a protective crouch.

"Oh please," I heard Jacob complain under his breath. Seth smacked him.

Edward put his arm around Renesmee and me. "You promised to listen," he reminded them.

"Some things cannot be heard!" Tanya exclaimed. "How could you, Edward? Do you not know what this means?"

"We have to get out of here," Kate said anxiously, her hand on the doorknob. I met Bella's shocked expression. I didn't know what kind of reaction to prepare for, but this certainly wasn't one of them.

"Edward . . ." Eleazar seemed beyond words.

"Wait," Edward said, his voice harder now. He wasn't going to let them leave.

"Remember what you hear, what you smell. Renesmee is not what you think she is," he argued.

"There are no exceptions to this rule, Edward," Tanya snapped back.

"Tanya," Edward said sharply, "you can hear her heartbeat! Stop and think about what that means."

"Her heartbeat?" Carmen whispered, peering around Eleazar's shoulder.

"She's not a full vampire child," Edward answered, directing his attention toward Carmen's less hostile expression. "She is half-human."

The four vampires stared at him like he was speaking a language none of them knew. I nodded, hoping it would help them believe him. I had no reason to lie.

"Hear me." Edward's voice shifted into a smooth velvet tone of persuasion. "Renesmee is one of a kind. I am her father. Not her creator - her biological father." Tanya's head was shaking, just a tiny movement. She didn't seem aware of it.

"Edward, you can't expect us to -," Eleazar started to say, but couldn't finish. None of them knew what this meant.

"Tell me another explanation that fits, Eleazar. You can feel the warmth of her body in the air. Blood runs in her veins, Eleazar. You can smell it. It's not Dani, and it's not the wolves. It's Renesmee."

"How?" Kate breathed.

"I'm her biological mother," Bella explained as she took Renesmee out of my arms. "I conceived, carried, and gave birth to Renesmee while I was still a human."

"It nearly killed her," Edward continued. "I was hard-pressed to get enough venom into her heart to save her."

"I've never heard of such a thing," Eleazar said. His shoulders were still stiff, his expression cold.

"Physical relationships between vampires and humans are not common," Edward answered, a bit of dark humor in his tone now. "Human survivors of such trysts are even less common. Wouldn't you agree, cousins?" Both Kate and Tanya scowled at him.

"Come now, Eleazar. Surely you can see the resemblance," It was Carmen who responded to Edward's words. She stepped around Eleazar, ignoring his half-articulated warning, and walked carefully to stand right in front of Bella and Renesmee. She leaned down slightly, looking carefully into Renesmee's face.

"You seem to have your mother's eyes," she said in a low, calm voice, "but your father's face." And then, as if she could not help herself, she smiled at Renesmee. Renesmee's answering smile was dazzling. She touched Bella's face, and Bella looked curiously at Carmen.

"Do you mind if Renesmee tells you about it herself?" Bella asked Carmen. "She has a gift for explaining things."

Carmen was still smiling at Renesmee. "Do you speak, little one?"

"Yes," Renesmee answered in her trilling high soprano. I couldn't help but smile, yet all of Tanya's family flinched at the sound of her voice except for Carmen. "But I can show you more than I can tell you." She placed her little dimpled hand on Carmen's cheek. Carmen stiffened like an electric shock had run through her. Eleazar was at her side in an instant, his hands on her shoulders as if to yank her away.

"Wait," Carmen said breathlessly, her unblinking eyes locked on Renesmee's. Renesmee "showed" Carmen her explanation for a long time. Edward's face was intent as he watched with Carmen, and I wished so much that I could hear what he heard, too. I wanted more answers than we had at the moment.

Jacob shifted his weight impatiently behind me, and I knew he was wishing the same. I leaned back into him and took his hand.

"What's Nessie showing her?" Seth asked curiously. He was bouncing back and forth as well, just as eager as the rest of us.

"Everything," Edward murmured. Another minute passed, and Renesmee dropped her hand from Carmen's face. She smiled winningly at the stunned vampire.

"She really is your daughter, isn't she?" Carmen breathed, switching her wide topaz eyes to Edward's face. "Such a vivid gift! It could only have come from a very gifted father."

"Do you believe what she showed you?" Edward asked, his expression intense. "Without a doubt," Carmen said simply. Eleazar's face was rigid with distress.

"Carmen!" He exclaimed. He still didn't believe. Carmen took his hands into her own and squeezed them.

"Impossible as it seems, Edward has told you nothing but truth. Let the child show you." Carmen nudged Eleazar closer to Bella and then nodded at Renesmee. "Show him, mi querida," she encouraged.

Renesmee grinned, clearly delighted with Carmen's acceptance, and touched Eleazar lightly on the forehead.

"Ay caray!" he spit, and jerked away from her.

"What did she do to you?" Tanya demanded, coming closer warily. Kate crept forward, too.

"She's just trying to show you her side of the story," Carmen told him in a soothing voice.

Renesmee frowned impatiently. "Watch, please," she commanded Eleazar. It made me chuckle a little bit, even though this was no laughing matter. Renesmee was going to be a spitfire when she was older, that was for sure. She stretched her hand out to him and then left a few inches between her fingers and his face, waiting. Eleazar eyed her suspiciously and then glanced at Carmen for help. Carmen nodded encouragingly. Eleazar took a deep breath and then leaned closer until his forehead touched her hand again. He shuddered when it began but held still this time, his eyes closed in concentration.

"Ahh," he sighed when his eyes reopened a few minutes later. "I see." Renesmee smiled at him. He hesitated, then smiled a slightly unwilling smile in response.

"Eleazar?" Tanya asked, waiting for confirmation. Eleazar was like their Jasper. If he believed enough to trust a story, it was likely true.

"It's all true, Tanya. This is no immortal child. She's half-human. Come. See for yourself," Eleazar encouraged.

In silence, Tanya took her turn standing warily before me, and then Kate, both showing shock as that first image hit them with Renesmee's touch. But then, just like Carmen and Eleazar, they seemed completely won over as soon as it was done. I shot a glance at Edward's smooth face, wondering if it could really be so easy. He gave a quick nod.

"Thank you for listening," Edward said quietly.

"But there is the grave danger you warned us of," Tanya said. "Not directly from this child, I see, but surely from the Volturi, then. How did they find out about her? When are they coming?" I was surprised at her quick understanding. Then again, they understood much more about the vampire world than I did.

"When Bella saw Irina that day in the mountains," Edward explained, "she had Renesmee with her."

Kate hissed, her eyes narrowing to slits. "Irina did this? To you? To Carlisle? Irina?"

"No," Tanya whispered. "Someone else . . ."

"Alice saw her go to them," Edward said. He winced ever so slightly when he said Alice's name, and it made my heart hurt. Jake noticed, and squeezed my hand gently.

"How could she do this thing?" Eleazar asked of no one.

"Imagine if you had seen Renesmee only from a distance. If you had not waited for our explanation."

Tanya's eyes tightened. "No matter what she thought… You are our family."

"There's nothing we can do about Irina's choice now. It's too late. Alice gave us a month." Both Tanya's and Eleazar's heads cocked to one side. Kate's brow furrowed.

"So long?" Eleazar asked. I got aggravated at his question. Was one month not short enough? Did he wish our death sentence to be executed in a shorter period of time?

"They are all coming. That must take some preparation."

Eleazar gasped. "The entire guard?"

"Not just the guard," Edward said, his jaw straining tight.

"Aro, Caius, Marcus. Even the wives." Shock glazed over all their eyes.

"Impossible," Eleazar said blankly.

"I would have said the same two days ago," Edward said.

Eleazar scowled, and when he spoke it was nearly a growl. "But that doesn't make any sense. Why would they put themselves and the wives in danger?"

"It doesn't make sense from that angle. Alice said there was more to this than just punishment for what they think we've done. She thought you could help us."

"More than punishment? But what else is there?" Eleazar started pacing, stalking toward the door and back again as if he were alone here, his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the floor.

"Where are the others, Edward? Carlisle and Alice and the rest?" Tanya asked.

"Looking for friends who might help us," Edward explained.

Tanya leaned toward him, holding her hands out in front of her. "Edward, no matter how many friends you gather, we can't help you win. We can only die with you. You must know that. Of course, perhaps the four of us deserve that after what Irina has done now, after how we've failed you in the past - for her sake that time as well."

Edward shook his head quickly. "We're not asking you to fight and die with us, Tanya. You know Carlisle would never ask for that."

"Then what, Edward?"

"We're just looking for witnesses. If we can make them pause, just for a moment. If they would let us explain . . ." He touched Renesmee's cheek; she grabbed his hand and held it pressed against her skin.

"It's difficult to doubt our story when you see it for yourself."

Tanya nodded slowly. "Do you think her past will matter to them so much?"

"Only as it foreshadows her future. The point of the restriction was to protect us from exposure, from the excesses of children who could not be tamed."

"I'm not dangerous at all," Renesmee interjected. "I used to bite Auntie Dani, but I know not to now. I never hurt Grandpa or Sue or Billy. I love humans. And wolf-people like Jacob and my Seth," she said. I had to bite my lip and take a deep breath to keep from crying. Seth moved over to her. She dropped Edward's hand to reach back and pat Seth's arm.

Tanya and Kate exchanged a quick glance, they weren't sure what to make of all of this.

"If Irina had not come so soon," Edward mused, "we could have avoided all of this. Renesmee grows at an unprecedented rate. By the time the month is past, she'll have gained another half year of development."

"Well, that is something we can certainly witness," Carmen said in a decided tone.

"We'll be able to promise that we've seen her mature ourselves. How could the Volturi ignore such evidence?"

Eleazar mumbled, "How, indeed?" but he did not look up, and he continued pacing as if he were paying no attention at all.

"Yes, we can witness for you," Tanya said. "Certainly that much. We will consider what more we might do."

"Tanya," Edward protested, hearing more in her thoughts than there was in her words, "we don't expect you to fight with us."

"If the Volturi won't pause to listen to our witness, we cannot simply stand by," Tanya insisted. "Of course, I should only speak for myself."

Kate snorted. "Do you really doubt me so much, sister?"

Tanya smiled widely at her. "It is a suicide mission, after all."

Kate flashed a grin back and then shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm in."

"I, too, will do what I can to protect the child," Carmen agreed. Then, as if she couldn't resist, she held her arms out toward Renesmee. "May I hold you, bebé linda?" Renesmee reached eagerly toward Carmen, delighted with her new friend. Carmen hugged her close, murmuring to her in Spanish. "I remember when I used to hold _you_ like this Dani," she winked in my direction.

"Of course," I smiled. Growing up, my summers at Tanya's home were incredible. I would love it when Carmen would hold me and walk with me around the house. She used to sing wonderful lullabies as well. I looked at how adoringly she admired Renesmee. Of course she did, Renesmee was irresistible.

"What is the werewolves' part in this?" Tanya asked then, eyeing Jacob and Seth. Jacob spoke before Edward could answer.

"If the Volturi won't stop to listen about Nessie - I mean Renesmee," he corrected himself, remembering that Tanya would not understand the nickname, " _we_ will stop them."

"Very brave, child, but that would be impossible for more experienced fighters than you are."

"You don't know what we can do," Jake challenged.

Tanya shrugged. "It is your own life, certainly, to spend as you choose."

Jacob's eyes flickered to me and it was easy to read the longing in them.

"You two?" Tanya mused, smirking. "How did that happen?" Tanya asked me.

"He's hard to resist," I smiled.

"What a talented family," Eleazar interrupted, murmuring as he paced. "A mind reader for a father, a shield for a mother, and then whatever magic this extraordinary child has bewitched us with. I wonder if there is a name for what she does, or if it is the norm for a vampire hybrid. As if such a thing could ever be considered normal! A vampire hybrid, indeed!"

"Excuse me," Edward said in a stunned voice. He reached out and caught Eleazar's shoulder as he was about to turn again for the door. "What did you just call my wife?"

Eleazar looked at Edward curiously, his manic pacing forgotten for the moment. "A shield, I think. She's blocking me now, so I can't be sure."

"A shield?" Edward repeated, bewildered.

"Come now, Edward! If I can't get a read on her, I doubt you can, either. Can you hear her thoughts right now?" Eleazar asked.

"No," Edward murmured. "But I've never been able to do that. Even when she was human."

"Never?" Eleazar blinked. "Interesting. That would indicate a rather powerful latent talent, if it was manifesting so clearly even before the transformation. I can't feel a way through her shield to get a sense of it at all. Yet she must be raw still - she's only a few months old." The look he gave Edward now was almost exasperated. "And apparently completely unaware of what she's doing. Totally unconscious. Ironic. Aro sent me all over the world searching for such anomalies, and you simply stumble across it by accident and don't even realize what you have." Eleazar shook his head in disbelief.

From the looks of it, Bella wasn't too pleased with what he was saying. "What are you talking about? How can I be a shield? What does that even mean?"

Eleazar leaned his head to one side, staring at Bella. "I suppose we were overly formal about it in the guard. In truth, categorizing talents is a subjective, haphazard business; every talent is unique, never exactly the same thing twice. But you, Bella, are fairly easy to classify. Talents that are purely defensive, that protect some aspect of the bearer, are always called shields. Have you ever tested your abilities? Blocked anyone besides me and your mate?"

Bella shook her head. "It only works with certain things," she told him. "My head is sort of… private. But it doesn't stop Jasper from being able to mess with my mood or Alice from seeing my future."

"Purely a mental defense." Eleazar nodded to himself. "Limited, but strong."

"Aro couldn't hear her," Edward interjected. "Though she was human when they met." Eleazar's eyes widened.

"Jane tried to hurt me, but she couldn't," Bella added. "Edward thinks Demetri can't find me, and that Alec can't bother me, either. Is that good?"

Eleazar, still gaping, nodded. "Quite."

"A shield!" Edward said, satisfactory. He was so proud of Bella. "I never thought of it that way. The only one I've ever met before was Renata, and what she did was so different."

Eleazar had recovered slightly. "Yes, no talent ever manifests in precisely the same way, because no one ever thinks in exactly the same way."

"Who's Renata? What does she do?" I asked.

"Renata is Aro's personal bodyguard," Eleazar told me. "A very practical kind of shield, and a very strong one. I wonder…" Eleazar mused. "You see, Renata is a powerful shield against a physical attack. If someone approaches her - or Aro, as she is always close beside him in a hostile situation - they find themselves… diverted. There's a force around her that repels, though it's almost unnoticeable. You simply find yourself going a different direction than you planned, with a confused memory as to why you wanted to go that other way in the first place. She can project her shield several meters out from herself. She also protects Caius and Marcus, too, when they have a need, but Aro is her priority. What she does isn't actually physical, though. Like the vast majority of our gifts, it takes place inside the mind. If she tried to keep you back, I wonder who would win?" He shook his head. "I've never heard of Aro's or Jane's gifts being thwarted."

"Momma, you're special," Renesmee told Bella, smiling. _This kid_ , I smiled. She was something else.

"Can you project?" Kate asked interestedly.

"Project?" Bella asked.

"Push it out from yourself," Kate explained. "Shield someone besides yourself."

"I don't know. I've never tried. I didn't know I should do that."

"Oh, you might not be able to," Kate said quickly. "Heavens knows I've been working on it for centuries and the best I can do is run a current over my skin." I stared at her, mystified.

"Run a current over your skin?" I clarified. What the hell?

"Kate's got an offensive skill," Edward said. "Sort of like Jane."

I flinched away from Kate automatically, and she laughed. "I'm not sadistic about it," she assured me. "It's just something that comes in handy during a fight."

"You can shock people?" I asked her. Why was I just finding out about this now?

"Yup," she smiled.

"You have to teach me what to do!" Bella insisted, grabbing Kate's arm. "You have to show me how!" Kate winced at her grip.

"Maybe - if you stop trying to crush my radius."

"Oops! Sorry!" Bella apologized, letting go.

"You're shielding, all right," Kate said. "That move should have knocked you on your ass. You didn't feel anything just now?"

"That wasn't really necessary, Kate. She didn't mean any harm," Edward muttered under his breath. No one paid attention to him. I, personally, was thinking of new ways to torture my family with Kate's talent.

"No, I didn't feel anything. Were you doing your electric current thing?"

"I was. Hmm. I've never met anyone who couldn't feel it, immortal or otherwise."

"You said you project it? On your skin?" Kate nodded. "It used to be just in my palms. Kind of like Aro."

"Or Renesmee," Edward interjected.

"But after a lot of practice, I can radiate the current all over my body. It's a good defense. Anyone who tries to touch me drops like a human that's been Tasered. It only downs him for a second, but that's long enough." _Yikes_. I was glad they never tried to use that on me.

"Can you think of even one exception, though?" Edward asked. I looked over to make sense of his comment and realized that everyone else was already staring at the two men. They were leaning toward each other intently, Edward's expression tight with suspicion, Eleazar's unhappy and reluctant.

"I don't want to think of them that way," Eleazar said through his teeth. I was surprised at the sudden change in the atmosphere. "If you're right - ," Eleazar began again.

Edward cut him off. "The thought was yours, not mine."

"If I'm right… I can't even grasp what that would mean. It would change everything about the world we've created. It would change the meaning of my life. What I have been a part of."

"Your intentions were always the best, Eleazar."

"Would that even matter? What have I done? How many lives . . ." Tanya put her hand on Eleazar's shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"What did we miss, my friend? I want to know so that I can argue with these thoughts. You've never done anything worth castigating yourself this way."

"Oh, haven't I?" Eleazar muttered. Then he shrugged out from under her hand and began his pacing again, faster even than before.

Tanya watched him for half a second and then focused on Edward. "Explain."

Edward nodded, his tense eyes following Eleazar as he spoke. "He was trying to understand why so many of the Volturi would come to punish us. It's not the way they do things. Certainly, we are the biggest mature coven they've dealt with, but in the past other covens have joined to protect themselves, and they never presented much of a challenge despite their numbers. We are more closely bonded, and that's a factor, but not a huge one.

"He was remembering other times that covens have been punished, for one thing or the other, and a pattern occurred to him. It was a pattern that the rest of the guard would never have noticed, since Eleazar was the one passing the pertinent intelligence privately to Aro. A pattern that only repeated every other century or so."

"What was this pattern?" Carmen asked, watching Eleazar as Edward was.

"Aro does not often personally attend a punishing expedition," Edward said. "But in the past, when Aro wanted something in particular, it was never long before evidence turned up proving that this coven or that coven had committed some unpardonable crime. The ancients would decide to go along to watch the guard administer justice. And then, once the coven was all but destroyed, Aro would grant a pardon to one member whose thoughts, he would claim, were particularly repentant. Always, it would turn out that this vampire had the gift Aro had admired. Always, this person was given a place with the guard. The gifted vampire was won over quickly, always so grateful for the honor. There were no exceptions."

"It must be a heady thing to be chosen," Kate suggested.

"Ha!" Eleazar snarled, still in motion.

"There is one among the guard," Edward said, explaining Eleazar's angry reaction. "Her name is Chelsea. She has influence over the emotional ties between people. She can both loosen and secure these ties. She could make someone feel bonded to the Volturi, to want to belong, to want to please them. . . ." Eleazar came to an abrupt halt, then added to the conversation.

"We all understood why Chelsea was important. In a fight, if we could separate allegiances between allied covens, we could defeat them that much more easily. If we could distance the innocent members of a coven emotionally from the guilty, justice could be done without unnecessary brutality - the guilty could be punished without interference, and the innocent could be spared. Otherwise, it was impossible to keep the coven from fighting as a whole. So Chelsea would break the ties that bound them together. It seemed a great kindness to me, evidence of Aro's mercy. I did suspect that Chelsea kept our own band more tightly knit, but that, too, was a good thing. It made us more effective. It helped us coexist more easily."

"How strong is her gift?" Tanya asked with an edge to her voice. Her gaze quickly touched on each member of her family.

Eleazar shrugged. "I was able to leave with Carmen." And then he shook his head. "But anything weaker than the bond between partners is in danger. In a normal coven, at least. Those are weaker bonds than those in our family, though. Abstaining from human blood makes us more civilized—lets us form true bonds of love. I doubt she could turn our allegiances, Tanya." Tanya nodded, seeming reassured, while Eleazar continued with his analysis. "I could only think that the reason Aro had decided to come himself, to bring so many with him, is because his goal is not punishment but acquisition," Eleazar said. "He needs to be there to control the situation. But he needs the entire guard for protection from such a large, gifted coven. On the other hand, that leaves the other ancients unprotected in Volterra. Too risky - someone might try to take advantage. So they all come together. How else could he be sure to preserve the gifts that he wants? He must want them very badly," Eleazar mused.

Edward's voice was low as a breath. "From what I saw of his thoughts last spring, Aro's never wanted anything more than he wants Alice." The panic gripped my chest again.

"Is that why Alice left?" I asked, my voice breaking on her name. Jake squeezed my shoulder and Edward looked at me empathetically.

"I think it must be. To keep Aro from gaining the thing he wants most of all. To keep her power out of his hands."

"Does he want you too?" I whispered. Edward shrugged, his face suddenly a little too composed. "Not nearly as much. I can't really give him anything more than he already has. And of course that's dependent on his finding a way to force me to do his will. He knows me, and he knows how unlikely that is." _My brother the trouble maker_ , I smirked.

"He also knows your weaknesses," Eleazar pointed out, and then he looked at me. "It's nothing we need to discuss now," Edward said quickly, shaking his head. He knew it wasn't doing anything to help the anxiety and tension.

Eleazar, however, ignored the hint and continued. "He probably wants your mate, too, regardless. He must have been intrigued by a talent that could defy him in its human incarnation." Edward was uncomfortable with this topic. I could tell Bella didn't like it that much, either. Fortunately, Edward changed the subject.

"I think the Volturi were waiting for this - for some pretext. They couldn't know what form their excuse would come in, but the plan was already in place for when it did come. That's why Alice saw their decision before Irina triggered it. The decision was already made, just waiting for the pretense of a justification."

"If the Volturi are abusing the trust all immortals have placed in them…" Carmen murmured.

"Does it matter?" Eleazar asked. "Who would believe it? And even if others could be convinced that the Volturi are exploiting their power, how would it make any difference? No one can stand against them."

"Though some of us are apparently insane enough to try," Kate muttered, referring to us.

Edward shook his head. "You're only here to witness, Kate. Whatever Aro's goal, I don't think he's ready to tarnish the Volturi's reputation for it. If we can take away his argument against us, he'll be forced to leave us in peace."

"Of course," Tanya agreed. No one looked convinced. For a few long minutes, nobody said anything.

"Oh crap, Charlie," Bella muttered. She must have heard something that I didn't. She turned to Edward, "Maybe the Denalis could hang out upstairs until-"

"No," Edward said in a distant voice. His eyes were far away, staring blankly at the door. "It's not your father." His gaze focused on Bella. "Alice sent Peter and Charlotte, after all. Time to get ready for the next round."

"Can I stay?" I asked. I had never met Jasper's brother in person, but I had been told so many stories about him. I felt like I already knew him as a part of my family. I knew that they didn't stick to a human diet, so I wasn't sure if Edward would let me stay, but I desperately wanted to.

"Yes, for now," Edward nodded. I smiled, and whispered a thank you to him before heading back into the dining room.

 **A/N: Okay, so I originally had this chapter and the last one as one crazy long chapter because I didn't like where the book divided it up, but then I knew that I had to divide it up somewhere because this part is kinda boring. Hang tight, I'm going rogue again for the next few chapters, so don't you fret! Again, thank you all for your kind words in your reviews, and thank you for all of your undying support!**


	92. Impossible

IMPOSSIBLE

I didn't know much about my brother's life before he became a Cullen. I knew that he was a soldier in the Civil War, that he did terrible things in his early years as a vampire, and that he met Alice in a small Philadelphia diner. I had heard many stories about his brotherhood with Peter, but I certainly didn't know details. It was one of the many censored areas of his life.

There was a rule in our house that any time there were vampires around, I couldn't be here. I had never personally met Peter and Charlotte before, because every time they came to visit I had to make myself disappear. Last time they came, I slept over Fiona's. I was grateful that Edward trusted the situation enough now to allow me to stay. I was eager to meet Jasper's family, and to gain another insight on his life.

The setup was similar to when our cousins came, except Peter and Charlotte didn't have the same history that they did, so we weren't as afraid that their reaction would be violent. Tanya and the others were in the basement while Edward and Bella greeted Peter and Charlotte. Seth and Jake waited with me in the dining room while I held Renesmee. She was playing with my hair.

She reached a hand up to my face and showed me a memory of Rose promising to teach her how to braid hair. She missed her.

"She'll be back," I whispered. "We'll teach you together. You can practice on me."

"Danielle?" I heard Edward call. They were ready for me to bring out Renesmee.

"Show time, Chomper," I told her, and out we went.

The first thing I noticed was how red their eyes were. Upon seeing Renesmee their eyes opened wide. It was creepy and reminded me far too much of the James crisis.

"What a beautiful creature," Charlotte whispered, instinctively reaching out to her. I held her close, even though she was also reaching towards Charlotte.

"Is this the human Jasper is so fond of?" Peter teased, seeing me tense when Charlotte moved closer. I shouldn't have been shocked by his southern accent, considering it was similar to Jasper's, but it still took me off guard.

"Yes, this is our sister, Danielle," Edward smiled. "I see Jasper has filled you in."

"All good things, I hope," I grumbled, handing Renesmee over to Bella. Edward and Peter chuckled.

"Of course. Your brother thinks highly of you, ma'am," Peter nodded. Then, he turned his attention to Renesmee, who was now in Charlotte's arms. She was showing her something.

"I see my wife is already captivated by this young one," Peter chuckled.

"She's extraordinary," Edward confirmed.

"I still don't understand completely," Charlotte said. "What danger could there be with a child as beautiful as this?"

"There's been a terrible mix up," Bella explained. "The Volturi are coming – all of them. They think Renesmee is an immortal child. We've been sentenced to death."

"How can we help?" Peter asked, having also seen Renesmee's explanation.

"We need you to stand witness that Renesmee is something spectacular. Something that no one could have predicted. Most importantly, that she is not an immortal child. We need to make the Volturi stop and listen long enough that they will see the truth, just as you have," Edward explained. Our cousins came upstairs from the basement at this moment as well.

"Just like we have," Tanya said. It startled Peter and Charlotte, but they nodded in understanding.

"And if they don't stop and listen? If it comes to a battle?" Peter asked.

"We cannot ask you to stay and fight," Edward confirmed. "You have complete free will to leave the situation at that point, if you choose to do so."

"And leave my brother's family to die? Not a chance," Peter shook his head. "No, we will stay. We will help you," Peter confirmed. Charlotte nodded, agreeing with him. Renesmee was smiling. The atmosphere was definitely more positive knowing that we had allies. Hopefully, the other covens would react similarly to Peter and Charlotte. Hopefully, we could get enough people to stop and listen.

* * *

I stayed for the rest of the day, playing with my niece and catching up with my cousins. I didn't understand why I wasn't allowed to meet Peter and Charlotte prior to today, they didn't seem dangerous at all. Their eyes were still freaky, but it wasn't impossible to be in the same room as them.

I spent some time packing up some last minute items from my room, knowing that this would be the last time I'd see this house for a little while. We were quickly reaching the line between vampires that could control themselves and vampires that couldn't. I didn't want to cross that, and neither did anyone else.

"Hey," Jake said, plopping himself down on my bed. I rolled my eyes.

"Please, make yourself at home," I teased.

"So, can we talk about that thing now?" Jake asked, nonchalantly. I paused.

"What thing?" I asked carefully. I wasn't ready for this conversation yet.

"Your nightmare, the hesitation when you're around me, anything, really. I feel like you're going to bolt or something," Jake admitted. "You've been off today."

"I'm sorry?" I got defensive. "This isn't exactly a normal situation, Jake," I spat.

"Hey, you don't need to get mad, I'm just trying to figure out what I did," Jake said.

"What you did?" I asked him. Did he think this was his fault? Shit. "Jake, you didn't do anything. This one's all me, I promise," I told him, crawling on the bed and taking his hands. "I'm not going to bolt. Rather, I'm afraid that you're going to," I admitted.

"Dani, if I haven't proved to you by now that I'm not going anywhere, I don't know how I can do any better," Jake said, playing with my ring. "I'm yours, baby."

"You're not the first person to give me a ring and promise me forever, Jake," I whispered, remembering when Andrew gave me his ring. "People change. Situations change. Forever is a long time," I was shaking. I wasn't ready to have this conversation.

"Andrew was an asshole," Jake growled. I had told him stories and he had met him in person a few times. He knew about what happened. "I would never do that to you. Dani, I _can't_ leave you. How can I get you to understand that?"

"But you can!" I groaned, getting off of the bed and running my fingers through my hair in frustration. How did I say this so he wouldn't freak out? How did I explain this so that I didn't lose him forever?

"Dani, Dani," Jake got up, grabbing me by the arms. "What the hell are you talking about?"

I took a deep breath. "So many things are happening Jake," I started. Billy promised. Billy promised that if he knew his son the way he did, then Jake would still love me. I tried to rely on that. "I made promises that I can't keep anymore," I told him. He looked at me confused.

"I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place here, Jake, and trust me, this is a last resort, but I don't know what to do and I can't let my family just die and if they need people than I-"

"You want them to change you," Jake whispered. I looked up at him, biting my lip. I would rather face a newborn army on my own than admit to Jacob what I was about to say.

"I don't want that to happen," I told him, softly. "It's what needs to happen."

"You promised me," Jake took a deep breath. He was getting upset. Damn it all.

"I don't want to be a vampire, Jake," I started. I reached out to grab his arms, but he pulled away. "I've never wanted to be a vampire. It's not who I am."

"Then why would you consider it now?" Jake yelled. I looked at the door, half expecting someone to run up to check on us. No one came. I took another deep breath.

"Because my family – you included – is going to stand in a field and die!" I asserted. "Because I can't live in this world – human or not – without you. Because the Volturi are coming and one way or another they are going to find out that I am still human. They don't need another excuse to be angry with us," I pleaded, hoping he would understand. "I would rather risk having to live a life as a vampire than risk watching you walk out the door and never seeing you or my family again."

Jake didn't say anything, but I didn't stop looking at him. His brown eyes stared into my soul, and I prayed to every God I could think of that he would see this from my point of view. See how desperate I was.

"What would you do if it was me?" I asked softly, knowing he wasn't going to respond. At least he had calmed down a little. "What would you do if I was the werewolf, and I had no choice but to be in the battle? Would you stand back and let me fight without you by my side?"

"This isn't the time for heroics, Dani," Jake started, but I shook my head.

"This is exactly the time for heroics! I have _never_ been selfish a day in my life! These past three years have been _hell_ because I am constantly being pulled between three worlds that can never coexist. I have nearly lost everyone I love more times than I could ever have imagined, and I will not let it happen again!" I was losing it now. Tears were running down my face and I couldn't stop them.

"Bella is still Bella," I whispered once I had calmed down. "She changed, and she is still the same person she was. A little more coordinated, and a little more put together, but she's not evil. You've lived with us long enough to learn that there can be good vampires. _I_ can be a good vampire," I choked.

"You don't want to be, though," Jake whispered, tucking a piece of hair behind my head. "You're not being selfish, baby," he said. "You're being impossibly brave." He took me into his arms and held me while I cried what was left of my tears.

"I'm so sorry," I coughed, grabbing a tissue from my nightstand. I was probably an ugly mess right now.

"You don't have to be sorry," Jake sighed from beside me. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I scoffed. He had absolutely nothing to be sorry for. _I_ was the one that went back on my promise. _I_ was the one who was committing a crime in the werewolf world. _I_ was the one causing the problems.

"I made you feel like you had to choose again. I promised you I would stop doing that," Jake kissed the top of my head.

"That's the worst part," I sighed. "It's not much of a choice."

"Did you talk to your dad?" Jake asked.

"Yeah. He said it would be an absolute last resort," I told him. "It's just a fairly likely last resort."

"What if you aren't like Bella, though? What if you're like those leeches we had to fight last summer?"

"I don't know, Jake," I answered, playing with his fingers. "There's a lot of things we don't know."

"So, you say you want to become a vampire, but you're not sure about the details? That's insane, Dani," Jake complained.

"I'll figure out the details when we have a better idea of what we're dealing with," I argued. "If Dad and Edward have their way, it won't be necessary."

"But you're not that hopeful," Jake gathered. I shook my head.

"It's going to be bad, Jake. I just have a feeling." Before I could go any further, there was a knock at the door. It was Bella.

"I need to talk to you," she said, quietly, and gestured towards the bathroom. I nodded and got out of Jake's embrace. She gave Jake a look and he figured it out. She wanted him to beat it.

"Go check on the boys," I whispered. "I'll meet you back at the house," I promised. It was almost time to get going anyways.

"Who's going to drop you off?" Jake asked. He had been the one to drive me here.

"I'll take care of it," Bella said softly, eager to get him out. When she was finally certain he was gone, she turned on the water to the shower, and began to play some music.

"What's up?" I asked, still quiet. I had a feeling I'd barely be able to hear her over the noise, but that wasn't important. She was trying to hide something from someone.

"You can't turn into a vampire," she said. I looked at her confused. Since when did she have a say in my mortality?

"Why not?" I asked her. "You of all people should understand," I pointed out. She nodded.

"I do, trust me, and if it weren't for this other thing that's happening I would completely support your decision, but there's a plan, and it's larger than both of us. It's about Renesmee," she whispered. "Edward doesn't know, and he can't know."

"Okay…" I trailed confused.

"Alice left behind a clue. I'm going to investigate it once I we have the support we need and I can get away for a little while. The plan, I'm pretty sure, involves you staying human," Bella explained. "I can't say much more than that right now."

"Because you don't know or because you can't tell?" I asked her.

"A little bit of both," she smiled, sheepishly. "I'll keep you in the loop as best as I can, but you need to stay human."

"Bella, I don't think-"

"Dani. I wouldn't ask you this if I didn't think it was necessary. I know what you're thinking and I know how you feel. Like you said, I understand more than anyone else. Still, this came from Alice. If this could save my daughter, or possibly even the entire family, don't you think it's worth it?"

"I trust Alice, I do, I just…" I trust Alice. I don't trust that I won't lose everything in the process. It's an impossible decision. "I'll do my best, Bella." I promised. That's all I could do right now. "I won't bring up immortality again until you have more information. Once you know what my humanity has to do with the plan, tell me, and I will make my decision. I will _not_ however, do anything that results in me being left here alone as a human," I told her. She nodded.

"That's all I ask," she whispered. "I need to save my daughter, Dani," she sighed, and I could tell that if she was a human she would be crying. I pulled her into a hug and realized it was the first time we had hugged since she turned. It was different, even though our conspiracy sessions weren't.

"We will," I promised, and I meant that. I would do whatever it takes to save that little girl. If Alice thought I needed to be human to do it, I would stay human. If it turned out I needed to become a vampire, I would do that. Jacob was right. I wasn't being selfish. This wasn't about me anymore. It never was. This was about her.


	93. Hanky Punky

HANKY PUNKY

"You need to go to school," Jake grumbled, nudging me awake then rolling over in bed. It had to have been early – it was still dark outside.

"I'm dropping out," I mumbled, then inched closer to him. The bed was too cold on my side. Jake mumbled something in cohesive about someone killing him.

"Come on," he finally caved. "You gotta get up."

"No," I whined, and latched onto the bed. Jake sat up and took the blanket with him.

"Jake!" I complained. "Five more minutes," I begged. He shook his head.

"Not a chance," he said. "We need to leave in a half hour or you're going to be late."

"I told you, I'm dropping out," I curled up in a ball and closed my eyes. Jake groaned and left the room. I managed to fall back asleep for a moment before suddenly I was being squirted with something.

"What the fuck, Jake?" I yelled, getting up off of the bed. He had a water gun in his hand and was laughing his head off.

"Edward warned me you were stubborn in the mornings, so I grabbed this from the shed," he squirted me a little more. "Time to get moving you delinquent!"

"I'm gonna kill you," I whispered, and he squirted me again. "I'm gonna kill you!" I yelled, and got up and chased him outside. He was faster than me, of course, but he let me catch him and push him around a little bit before throwing me over his shoulder and carrying me back inside.

"Until I am told otherwise by someone with more authority than you, you've got to go to school," Jake argued while I got my shower stuff ready. "Your parents are hell-bent on sending you to college, and you can't go to college if you don't finish high school."

"You didn't finish high school," I stuck my tongue out.

"I have a job," he held up the water gun again. "Move it," he pointed his head towards the bathroom. I glared at him.

"You wouldn't," I challenged. He nodded.

"Oh yeah," he smirked, then squirted me again. I groaned and walked to the bathroom.

"March!" Jake joked, and I threw a bottle of shampoo at him. Luckily, he caught it and it didn't explode everywhere. He ran over to me and kissed me on the forehead, handing me the bottle of shampoo.

"Seriously, we're leaving in a half hour whether you're ready or not," he said. I stuck my tongue out at him and slammed the door.

* * *

Ryan wasn't at school today, and it made me panic more than I thought it would.

"His Dad pulled him out," Tyler said at lunch. "They're going back to the east coast, I guess."

My eyes darted around, hoping that this was some cruel joke and that he was going to pop up behind me like the creep he was at any moment.

"His Dad?" I asked, shakily. There was no snow. They couldn't be here yet. "Was he here?"

"Why are you freaking out? I didn't think you _liked_ the guy…" Tyler trailed. I hit the table in frustration.

"Was his dad here, Tyler?" I nearly yelled at him. Tyler shook his head.

"I don't think so, I just got a text from him saying thanks, but that he was moving back east," Tyler explained, raising his hands in the air.

"I need to see the text," I demanded, holding out my hand. Tyler looked at me like I had ten heads. "Now, Tyler!" This time I did yell. He practically threw his phone at me. I could tell he was getting annoyed, but I didn't care. I needed to know if Aro was here or not.

Sure enough, Tyler was telling the truth. The text said:

 _Tyler, thank you for all of your help over the past few months. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. Unfortunately, my family is moving back home. I hope we can see each other again someday. Sincerely, Ryan._

I sighed, but copied down Ryan's phone number. I didn't think it would work if I called him, but I had to try and get a hold of him.

"What are you doing?" Tyler asked.

"I have to go, I'm sorry," I said, and walked away. I needed to call Ryan.

I walked outside and dialed the number. The phone went straight to voicemail. I called again. I called until the voicemail box was full. This wasn't happening. I dialed the only other number I could think of.

"Alice, it's Dani again. I know you're screening your calls, but this is important. Ryan got pulled out of school. I haven't spoken to him since you all left. I don't know what to do-" my voice gave out. "I miss you, and you hope you guys are being safe. You don't have to call me back…I just…I just miss you. I wish you would tell me if you were alive or not, give me some kind of clue, I guess. Anyways, I love you. Thank you for everything," I said, and ended the call. This sucked.

* * *

My phone rang in the middle of history. Mariana looked over at me, snickering. I quickly dug through my bag to try to find it so I could turn it off. Only, when I looked at the number, it wasn't one I recognized. It was an international number.

"I'm sorry," I said, scooching my way out in between tables. "I need to take this." I knew I'd probably be in trouble later, but this could be important. _It could be Alice,_ I thought, hopefully.

"Hello?" I asked, eager to hear her voice. Unfortunately, it wasn't the one I was expecting.

"Danielle," the stupid voice on the other end sighed, relieved. "I was curious as to how long it was going to take you to hunt me down." I could hear the smirk on the other end of the line.

"You," I growled. "You don't get to just disappear!" I hissed into the phone, quickly walking outside.

"I didn't have a choice," Ryan hissed back. He was trying to keep his voice down.

"Are you back in Italy?" I asked him. "Did you tell them? Was everything you said a lie? Are they going to kill me or are you going to have the balls to do it yourself?" I spat questions at him, hardly giving him enough time to respond.

"If I wanted you dead I wouldn't have called you back. As it is I'm risking my own life doing this," He whispered.

"Why are you whispering? Can they hear you?" I asked, worried.

"No, it's just me. They're…off," Ryan sighed.

"Off plotting about how to kill everyone I love," I accused.

"You don't love them, Danielle. This is a good thing," Ryan tried. I almost lost it.

"A good thing?" I yelled into the phone now that I was outside. "How can this be a good thing? They're going to kill me too, you idiot! I'm still a human, remember?"

"They won't kill you if you do what I say," Ryan said carefully into the phone.

"Why should I listen to anything you say anymore?" I asked him, carefully.

"Because I'm the only one who hates the Volturi more than you do," Ryan growled into the phone. "My mother served them, and now I serve them to settle the debt. They killed her. I don't want to be here anymore than you want them to kill you. I see how cruel they can be. I see how they slaughter innocents daily. You can trust me, Danielle, because I want out of their world more than anyone else." I couldn't argue with that logic.

"What do I do?" I demanded.

"Patience, Danielle," the smirk was back. "We have to be careful. First, you need to never call me again." I scoffed.

"How am I-" I started, but he cut me off.

"There are other ways of communicating, my dear," he said. "I will contact you when the time is right."

"Do not play me, Ryan. This isn't a game. There is a deadline, and I swear to God if you are sending me on some stupid rat race, I will find you, and I will kill you myself," I threatened. I didn't trust him one bit, and I didn't like the idea that he wouldn't tell me what to do right now.

"I hope to see you in Volterra soon, buona giornata!" He hung up. That sleazy little bastard actually hung up on me. I groaned and went back inside.

* * *

"Why do you have so much homework?" Jake complained. He was gross and sweaty from patrolling all day. He took a break only to pick me up from school. It was almost 6:00, and I had been doing homework for most of the afternoon. It was a steady distraction from the drama of earlier, and the fact that I couldn't go home because my house was more than filled to capacity with creatures that took pleasure in killing humans.

"Because if you're going to insist that I graduate and go to college, I have to make sure my grades are high enough that I can make that happen," I snapped. Jake put his hands in the air and grabbed a bag of chips, then plopped down next to me.

"Ew, Jake!" I squealed. "You smell terrible, go take a shower!" I pushed him away, and he laughed.

"Come on, we're gonna get married. The good, the bad, the ugly, right?" I rolled my eyes.

"If you're done taking showers, I'm just going to do us all a favor and go stay at Charlie's," I concluded.

"You'd break up with me over hygiene? Wow," Jake leaned in closer to me. "Come on, it's my natural scent. It's supposed to turn you on," he wagged his eyebrows.

"Your natural scent makes me want to vomit. Go take a shower, or I'm going to go out back and get the garden hose," I warned. It would be great payback for the water gun debacle from earlier.

"Hey kids!" Billy called, rolling inside. Charlie was close behind him. He took one look at Jake and shivered, and I couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"Hey Dad, Charlie," Jake nodded, and took that as his cue to actually go get in the shower. As soon as he left I opened a window.

"How can you stand that?" I asked Billy, gagging.

"He's my only boy, Dani. I went through a lot with the girls, too, you know," he pointed out. "You'll understand someday, right Charlie?" Billy asked. Charlie rolled his eyes.

"Girls are trouble," Charlie agreed. I knew he was talking about Bella. "Speaking of which, it looks like Edward and Bella have their hands full with Nessie, huh Dani?"

"Yeah, she's a spitfire," I smiled, remembering my niece. It had been only a day or two since I last saw her, but I knew the next time I saw her she'd be drastically different. From the pictures Edward had sent, she was already looking like a young child, rather than a toddler.

"Just like her mother," Charlie reminisced before a sad look passed over his face.

"Need to know, Charlie," I reminded him. "I know it's hard. It gets easier," I promised. It was a little bit of a lie, but it's what I tell myself. It never gets easy knowing you can't be completely part of their world, but it gets easier to accept it, I guess.

"I guess if you've made it this far," Charlie grunted. "Come on, eat up," he redirected, pointing to the fish and chips he brought in. Billy was setting the table.

"I got it, Billy," I told him, and he raised his hands.

"I forgot what it was like having a woman in the house," Billy teased. Charlie chuckled a bit, too.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment, Billy, and pretend that it didn't sound as sexist as it did," I teased.

"Hey, I'd be more than happy if my son would get his butt out here and help you," Billy defended, speaking a little louder. I laughed.

"It's fine, Billy. I don't mind," I smiled, and sat down. After a few minutes, Jake came out and sat next to me.

"Are Rachel and Paul gracing us with their presence?" Jake asked, grabbing some ketchup. Billy shrugged.

"They were invited," Billy said. "Who knows, with those two."

"Let them have their fun," I said.

" _We_ sure did," Jake mumbled, smirking at me. Charlie's eyes widened. I forgot that he had walked in on us in one of our "fun" moments. I nearly choked on my drink.

"Jake," I hissed under my breath.

"By the way," Billy spoke up. "I hope you know that none of that will be happening around here. I'm the cool parent, I know, but you two are cohabitating now. I don't want to be walking in on any of that hanky punky, or whatever it is you guys call it." I thought Charlie was going to die right there, and I nearly did too. Jake closed his eyes and shook his head, and I started choking again – on a French fry this time. Jake had to hit my back a few times before it went down the right way.

"Dad!" Jake scolded.

"I mean it, Jacob!" He warned, and Jake just shoveled another bite of fish into his mouth.

"You're gonna get it, old man," Jake threatened.

"Jake!" I chastised. "You can't say that to your dad!"

"It's alright, Dani, he's just poking fun," Billy promised. I shook my head.

"Quality entertainment, right?" Jake asked, smiling like a fool. I smiled back, nodding.

"That's one way to put it," I told him. Another ping came through my phone, and I jumped up, eager to see who it was from. It turns out it was just Edward, but the message was more than what I was expecting: Mom and Dad were home. I smiled and turned to Jake.

"Yes, you can skip school tomorrow," he groaned, knowing what my question was going to be.

"I love you," I smiled from where I was standing, then walked back to the table and pecked Jake on the lips.

"Hey, what did I just say?" Billy complained, jokingly, and we all started laughing. I grabbed Jake's hand under the table and squeezed. Everything was going to be okay.


	94. Normal

NORMAL

Seeing my parents again was great. Jake drove me to the line around 10:00, and then promptly had a stroke when I jumped out of the car before he stopped it.

"Mom!" I yelled, running to them. It was like something out of a Lifetime film. "Dad!"

"Hi, honey," she smiled, wrapping me in her arms. Dad wrapped his arms around us as well. I tried to stop the tears from falling, but they seemed to be my new friends these days.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked, breaking up the hug. Dad tucked some hair behind my ear and wiped my eyes.

"Everyone is fine," Dad confirmed.

"I miss you," I said, hugging him. "Is anyone else back yet?"

"Not yet," Mom said. "Rosalie and Emmett should be back soon, though," she explained.

"Have you heard from Alice?" I asked carefully. I had a feeling I knew the answer, but I had to check, just in case.

"I'm afraid not, sweetheart," Dad said. "How about we continue this conversation at lunch?" Dad asked. Considering we had well over twenty vampires at the house, there was no way I could go back there. When I talked to Dad on the phone this morning, he promised that he would take me out to a nice restaurant in Port Angeles for lunch as a trade-off.

"Okay," I nodded. "Just give me a minute," I promised. Mom and Dad nodded and then walked back to the car. I walked back to Jake.

"I'll see you tonight," I pecked him on the lips.

"Have fun," he smiled. "Save me something good," he winked. When Jake found out that we were going out to lunch, he made me promise to bring him back some fancy meat, as he called it. He wanted to be surprised. I felt like this was my first test as a live-in girlfriend.

"Filet Mignon?" I asked him, overloading the French accent. He gave me a weird look.

"I don't even know what that is, babe," he laughed.

"You'll love it!" I called, jogging back to my Dad's car. I hopped in the back seat.

"How has school been?" Dad asked, looking in the rearview mirror. Mom was smiling. I was sure this past week had been hard on her as well.

"Good. Oh! They pulled Ryan out of school," I mentioned. I had talked to Jake and Edward briefly about it, but I wasn't sure if the message had gotten to Dad yet.

"Yes, Edward did mention that," Dad mused. "Your mother and I have been talking, actually, and we think you should refrain from going to school."

"For the time being, at least," Mom added. I looked over at them. Were they crazy? School was the one thing that was _never_ a compromise.

"With everything that's been going on, you're behind anyways," Dad argued. "We can withdraw you and have you complete the semester online. If you work over winter break, you'll be caught up before next semester. You'd still be able to start college in the fall."

"Dad, you _don't_ have to defend your decision to me," I nearly squealed. "I've been trying to get you guys to pull me since Bella came back pregnant."

"We know, sweetheart, we just…we don't want to make this harder for you than it has to be. We still want you to lead as much of a normal life as possible," Mom sighed.

"Normal went out the window a long time ago, Mom," I reminded her. She shared a look with my Dad that I didn't miss. I was sure Edward filled them in on my conversations with him and Jake about my mortality as well. Fortunately, they weren't bringing it up right now, though. I was safe from that conversation for a little while longer, at least.

* * *

We went to the Kokopelli Grill, which was one of my favorite places. I ordered the Salmon Fettucine, along with the Black Angus Steak Kokopelli for Jake. He'd like it. My mom and dad groveled over the menu and then decided to "split" the Desert Sky Rib Eye.

"I think you'd get more out of the Steak Kokopelli," I mentioned to them. I knew they were going for something with some juice in it. Dad grimaced and shook his head.

"Too garlicky," he complained, winking, and I almost spat up my Raspberry Lemonade.

"I thought garlic didn't bother you?" I asked. When I was eleven, I got in a huge fight with Edward. I got so mad that I didn't want to talk to anyone, and looked online to find that lining your door with garlic kept away vampires. I lined my door with garlic and didn't come out for six hours. They tried to give me space at first, but soon got frustrated at how stubborn and ridiculous I was being. Eventually, they sent my dad the peacekeeper in to talk some sense to me. It scared me shitless when he got past my garlic fortress without any damage. I learned then not to believe everything I read on the internet.

"It doesn't mean we have to like eating it, love," Dad smiled. It was a joke, for sure. There was no way they were going to like eating anything on their plate. They would cut up a few of the juicier parts of the steak, suck the blood out, and then spit the pieces into a bag Mom had in her purse. It was pretty disgusting, if I had to be honest.

When the waitress brought the food, I had to laugh at my parent's facial expressions.

"You don't have to eat it," I teased, taking a bite of my own dinner. It was delicious.

"No, we do," Mom gulped. It made me laugh even more.

"I guess this is payback for all those times you told me to eat my vegetables, then," I noted. Dad glared at me.

"I'm glad you find the humor in this situation," he rolled his eyes, taking a bite of the steak. I chuckled from my seat as he suffered through it.

"Next time, we can do take out," I promised. As fun as this was, I knew it was a lot harder for them than they let on. I wasn't even sure why they ordered anything at all, to be honest.

"Sorry, sweetie. We tried," Mom relented, placing her fork down.

"You don't have to be normal for me," I told her. "I know you're trying to overcompensate for everything, but trust me. I'm fine."

"You're not fine," Dad disagreed. "No one is fine, and that's why we're trying to give you some sense of normalcy."

"Well, you're not going to find that here," I quipped. "Normal is watching Jasper and Emmett play their fifth game of chess while Edward plays Mozart's _Moonlight Sonata_ on the piano," I pointed out.

"Beethoven, sweetheart," Dad chuckled, interrupting. I looked at him questioningly.

"It's Beethoven's _Moonlight Sonata_ ," he explained. "But please, continue."

"You get the point. Nothing is more normal to me than you all just being you! No gimmicks, no worrying, just doing the things you love. Alice designing dresses and Rosalie braiding my hair. Mom designing our next house," I sighed. "I can't miss what I never had," I pointed to their barely touched dish. "I can miss my family, and I do. Family dinners are great, but they're not _us_."

"That's very mature of you, Dani," Dad smiled. "How about you finish eating, and we'll take a walk on the pier before bringing you back to Jacob?"

"That. _That_ sounds like normal to me," I smiled, taking another bite.

* * *

I got to see Rosalie and Emmett later the next week. They didn't take me out to dinner, but they drove me three and a half hours to Olympia where we went to Capital Mall. We picked up some Christmas presents and watched a movie. Emmett tried to convince me to take a picture with Santa, but I declined.

"It would be cute," he whined. "You used to do it all the time!" I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, because Mom made me," I defended. She used to dress me up in fluffy red dresses and put holly in my hair too. It was terrible.

"I could make you," Emmett shrugged. Rosalie hit him.

"Leave her alone, Emmett," she complained.

"I will if you will," I blurted. Maybe because I was feeling sentimental these days. Maybe because I knew there was no way Emmett was going to agree to take a picture with Santa.

"It's on, munchkin," Emmett smiled. Rosalie groaned.

"You both are a mess," she complained. "You can't take a picture looking like that. Alice would _kill_ me."

"Then let's go find a dress worthy of Alice," I smiled.

True to tradition, I found a red dress – thank God it wasn't fluffy – and sat next to Santa. Emmett sat on his other side looking just as dolled up. Rosalie was trying hard not to crack up when Santa called us a "cute couple." I thought I was going to throw up.

"These came out great!" She smiled. She bought enough copies for everyone in the family. I tried to keep one for myself, but she pulled the picture away from me.

"Not until Christmas!" She argued.

"It was my idea!" I complained. I should at least get to keep my picture.

"Technically," Emmett stepped in, "it was _my_ idea."

"Shut up," Rosalie and I both said at the same time, then high-fived. Some things never changed.


	95. Forever and Always

FOREVER AND ALWAYS

"You jump off of that for fun?" I asked credulously, pointing to the giant ledge in front of us. I had escaped my lessons for a few hours to go comb the beach with Jake. One could only take so much of online history lectures and an overpriced version of Kahn Academy.

"Well, I mean, _we_ do," Jake smirked. "We also are strong enough to beat the waves. Most civilians jump from further down, where the impact isn't so hard."

" _Most_ civilians?" I inquired.

"Shit happens," he shrugged. Then I remembered. Bella was one of those "civilians" who took a leap of faith. I had always believed her when she said she wasn't trying to kill herself. Seeing the ledge now for the first time, I wasn't so sure.

I kept taking steps forward, looking at the intensity of the waves and not really thinking about where I was going. It wasn't until Jake was grabbing my arm and pulling me towards him that I realized I went too far.

"Dani!" Jake shouted, trying to get me to look at him.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I wasn't paying attention."

"Clearly," he said, pulling me to him. "Don't do that."

"Do you think I'd do it?" I questioned, pulling away. "Did you really think I was going to jump?"

"I think we both know that I have no idea what you're capable of," he sighed, kissing my forehead.

"I wouldn't," I promised.

"Even if you lost me?" Jake whispered. I took a sharp breath. That was the _last_ thing I wanted to think about.

"I'm not going to lose you," I argued, shoving the feelings down.

"You're going to stay human, though, right? What happens if you lose all of us?"

"I don't know what I'm doing, Jake," I warned him. Bella still hadn't completely convinced me that she needed me to stay human, and Ryan surely wasn't giving me any answers. I was still hell bent on being in that clearing. I'm sure that one walk down to my house would cure my humanity in a second, Jake just didn't know that.

If I _was_ still a human, though? If someone did give me a good enough reason to let my family die? I didn't think I would be around much longer after that. I'd have Billy. Charlie. All of the mourning families on the reservation. I could leave them, though. They'd understand, even though they wouldn't know the multitude of my loss.

Even if I did survive, did decide to go on without them, I would never love anyone as madly and deeply as I loved Jacob Black, though. I would never be able to fall in love again. I would never truly have a family. Billy would die, Charlie would die, and then I'd be alone. Alone with the other imprints. How many of them would make it through that kind of pain? Sure, they'd have _their_ families, but it was overwhelmingly painful to be away from Jake for a few hours, never mind knowledge that he would never come back. No, I didn't think I would make it.

"I didn't mean to make you upset," Jake apologized, turning me around and braiding my hair. It was getting windy. I would be freezing if it wasn't for Jake.

"You die, I die," I whispered. He deserved to know. He was going to argue with me, to the ends of the earth if necessary, but I didn't care. If he was dead, he couldn't stop me.

"What if some in your family live? They can't wipe out everyone. You could go track down Alice and Jasper," Jake suggested. I shook my head.

"They left. They don't want to be a part of this family anymore," I told him. "I don't want to talk about this anymore," I complained. I wanted to enjoy the last moments I had while the people I loved were still alive.

"Okay," Jake resigned. It was silent for a few minutes before Jake smiled, and then kissed me.

"Okay, wow," I said, pulling away. "What was that for?"

"Let's get married," he smiled. I laughed, and held up my ring.

"Didn't you already propose to me?" I teased him. He took my hand and kissed the ring.

"I mean it, Dani," he whined. "Let's actually do it. Today. Let's get married."

"I'm seventeen, Jake. I'm not exactly legal, yet."

"You can get married at seventeen with your parents' permission," Jake said.

"Oh my God, you researched this!" I teased him. He looked at the ground sheepishly.

"I didn't _just_ research this…" he mumbled. I looked at him wide-eyed.

"What did you do?" I demanded, smiling.

"Close your eyes," Jake smirked. He placed a blindfold over my eyes, and then picked me up.

"Jake, what are you doing!" I squealed, but his laugh was the only answer I got.

When he finally put me down, my feet hit the sand. He took the blindfold off, and I saw not only all of the wolves and their imprints, but my family on the beach standing so that an aisle was in the middle. There was a canopy as close to the water as one could get, and Emmett was there, smiling and holding a binder.

"Pick your jaw up, baby," Jake whispered in my ear. Being a Cullen, of course one of the first things I looked at was how underdressed we were.

"Don't worry about that," Rosalie smiled, sensing my panic. "I picked this up for you when we were at the mall last week."

"We're getting married?" I asked Jake. I couldn't believe this was really happening.

"We're getting married," he smiled.

"Come on, time is wasting!" Rosalie quipped before rushing me off to a tent where she was going to help me get ready. Mom followed closely behind her.

* * *

"If you don't stop crying, I'm going to have to re-do your make-up," Rosalie complained. I wasn't full on crying – yet. I also hadn't been able to look at myself. There wasn't exactly a mirror readily available on La Push Beach.

"How long have you all known about this?" I asked them. I was in complete awe of my fiancée right now. I honestly didn't know he had it in him.

"Why do you think we've been kidnapping you?" Mom smiled, kissing my cheek.

"Because you wanted to spend time with me, of course," I stuck my tongue out at Rosalie, who rolled her eyes.

"That was certainly part of it, my dear, but Jake wanted to do something special before…well, you know," Mom suggested. "He found your journal while you were moving."

"He what?" I asked, completely embarrassed. He read my journal?

"It flipped open to one of your wedding plans," Mom chuckled. "We tried to make everything as perfect as possible."

"Tanya, Kate, and Carmen helped, too," Rose said, finishing up the last touches on my hair and make-up.

"They send their love," Mom squeezed.

"How's it going?" Bella asked, coming in. I jumped a little, and Rosalie hissed, and quickly corrected whatever mistake she just made.

"Pretty!" Renesmee chirped, and Bella reminded her not to show me.

"It's definitely okay if you show me, Renesmee," I tried to persuade her when she walked up beside me. She was too big for me to carry now. Renesmee just shook her head, smiling like a devil.

"At least she does what she's told," I told Bella. Bella smiled.

"Sometimes," she shrugged. "She's spoiled."

"Of course she is," I smiled back.

"Alright, something old-"

"Half of the wedding guests," I joked, earning a light smack from my mother and a fist bump from Bella, but Rosalie shrugged.

"Works for me," she said. "Something new is the dress," she pointed out. "Something blue can be…"

"My eyes are pretty blue," I interrupted again, but this time Rosalie ignored me. She reached into her bag and grabbed a hair piece, quickly tucking it into the intricate braid she made.

"There you go," she whispered.

"I didn't even get to see it!" I whined. " _And_ you missed something borrowed."

"Actually, we didn't, we just saved the best for last," Rose smiled. Mom showed me a beautiful set of diamond earrings, and then put them on.

"Technically these could be old, too," Rosalie mumbled.

"Whose are they?" I asked, reaching up to touch them. I _needed_ to get in front of a mirror.

"Well, they were Edward's mother's," Mom explained. "Then, they got passed down to her daughter, and then her daughter, and then your mother," Mom suggested.

"This was my mom's?" I asked, touching the earrings, trying to picture them on my body. _Don't you dare cry._

"Yes, sweetie. As soon as we found you, Edward went to go find it along with some other heirlooms. He knew that she would want you to wear it."

"Thank you," I hugged her. "I don't have anything from you, though?" I asked.

"The hairpiece is mine," she smiled. "And you have me here, in person. It's okay."

"Are you ready?" Rosalie asked. She was holding up a mirror. I nodded, eagerly.

She held up the mirror – thank God it was full sized – and I almost died right then and there. Who was this girl?

I wasn't wearing shoes – the sand would just ruin them, so I wasn't very tall. My dress complimented my body perfectly, showing my curves in all of the right places. It was a dress that Alice would never have approved of, considering it came from Forever 21. Still, it was beautiful and perfect. It was a white woven maxi dress with a crepe skit overlay. It had embroidered lace designs, a v-strap neckline, and an open back. If it weren't for the fact I was going to be standing beside Jacob, I probably would be frozen in this.

My hair was in an intricate braid done by Rosalie. It formed a bun that was held together with my mother's headpiece. The headpiece brought out my blue eyes. The earrings sparkled beside my blonde hair.

My makeup was natural with a shade of blue eyeshadow. It was nothing too extravagant, so that it didn't take away from the rest of the outfit. I was perfect.

"Do you like it?" Rose asked, eagerly. I nodded.

"I look like freaking Aphrodite," I said in awe. _I wish that Alice were here_ , I thought sadly.

"Are you almost ready in there?" Dad's voice called from outside. Mom went outside to talk to him and give me one last minute to pull myself together.

* * *

Since this was an impromptu wedding, at least for me, we didn't have bridal parties. I didn't have the heart to choose between my two sisters for who was going to be a "maid of honor," so I found some flowers for Renesmee and had her walk in front of me as a flower girl. Jake stood beside Embry, his obvious choice of best man. I stole a glance at Quil, who clearly wasn't upset as Claire was treating him like a human monkey bar again. Jake had changed into a nice dress shirt and tie while I was being pampered. He looked incredibly nervous, but I just smiled. This was perfect.

There was no music, just applause as I walked down the short aisle with my father. He kissed me quickly on the forehead before taking my hand and giving it to Jacob. I smiled at him and just shook my head.

"Surprise," he whispered, smiling. He looked like a toddler on Christmas morning. "You look beautiful," he added.

"I love you," I mouthed to him before Emmett began.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here on this beautiful day to witness the union of my baby sister, Danielle Cullen and her dog, Jacob Black in marriage," Emmett began, and I growled at him. I don't know who decided Emmett presiding over this wedding was a good idea, but if he kept making jokes throughout the ceremony, I was going to fire him.

"All right, I get it," he apologized, seeing my face. "This is a day of great celebration and reverence, on which we come together before God to recognize and commemorate the sacred love and dedication shared between these two people. It is wonderful to have family and friends join us today. The bride and groom would like to thank their guests for being here, and would like you to know that each of you were invited here on this day because you have played an integral part in their intertwining lives.

"Marriage is, truly, a magical gift. As Mark Twain noted, 'Marriage makes of two fractional lives a whole, and it gives to two purposeless lives a work…it gives to two questioning natures a reason for living, and something to live for; it will give a new gladness to the sunshine, a new fragrance to the flowers, a new beauty to the earth, a new mystery to life.'"

I didn't know who chose that passage, but it was extraordinarily fitting. Jake _was_ my reason for life. He changed my whole world. He squeezed my hand, and I squeezed back, staring at him.

"In the time that Danielle Cullen and Jacob Black have spent together," Emmett continued, "they've built the sturdy foundation for a lifelong relationship. After a great deal of thoughtful consideration, they have decided to bind themselves to one another for the rest of their lives." No one needed to mention that the universe had technically done that for us, but the laughter behind Jake's eyes told me that he got the irony.

"May you all remember and cherish this sacred ceremony, for on this day, with love, we will forever bind Danielle Cullen and Jacob Black together."

There was applause then, and Emmett stopped and allowed the applause to settle down.

"Who gives this bride today?" Emmett asked, and my parents stood up.

"We do," they said, smiling. I could see the pride in their eyes. I never in a thousand years would have expected that they'd let me marry at seventeen, never mind marry a werewolf, but Jake had won them over just as much as he'd won me over.

"If there is anyone in attendance who has cause to believe that this couple should not be joined in marriage, you may speak now or forever hold your peace," Emmett said. I looked around nervously. I didn't think anyone would oppose, but then again, I knew to have limited expectations for these kinds of family events. When no one stood up, I looked at Jake again and released a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Instead of me talking for this entire time, Mr. William Black, father of the groom, would like to say a quick sermon," Emmett introduced, and Sue wheeled Billy to the center where Emmett was previously standing.

"Marriage is a sacred ceremony," Billy began. "Today we observe the union of these two people with the respect the occasion warrants. What we honor with reverence, however, we also celebrate with great joy! Many of us here today have lost those we intended to spend the rest of our lives with. We all know that, in the near future, there might be more who are put into that category. I have had the opportunity to personally witness to the love that these two fine young people have for each other. They have been faced with challenges most of us 'normal' folk will never have to deal with.

"Danielle and Jacob, as you continue to live with the challenges of this life, learn to work together, to laugh together, and to love together. Don't get caught up in worldly things that will draw you apart. Instead, focus on your shared devotion and turn inward. As your relationship strengthens you will find that you come to share a remarkable love; a love that is both abundantly given and freely accepted.

"As most of us can attest to, the joy you'll find as you pursue your shared lives will fuel you to face head-on the challenges you'll encounter on this Earth. Find your strength in each other. Keep your spouse in the space of highest priority in your heart. This love that the two of you share must be guarded and cherished, as it is your most valuable treasure."

"Thank you Billy," I whispered as he rolled by. He squeezed my hand and hugged his son before returning to his spot in the audience.

Emmett went back to the center. "I solemnly consecrate these matrimonial proceedings and the sacred covenant you both shall enter into on this day. Marriage is an ancient rite. As you enter into this union, you are choosing to take part in a historical human establishment and are pledging your commitment before the witnesses present here today to enter into that tradition with honor.

"Danielle and Jacob, the sacred vows that you make to one another today present you with the opportunity to express your love in your own words. I would at this time invite you to publically declare these vows. Dani, you may begin."

I looked at Jake, panicking. I didn't prepare any vows, I didn't even know we were getting married today. Emmett chuckled and handed me a piece of paper. It was from my journal. I had already written my vows, apparently. I looked at Jake hesitantly, and he nodded.

"In the words of the great Pablo Neruda, 'I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride; so I love you because I know no other way than this.' Jacob, since you came into my life, I knew there was no other option than to love you completely and with all my heart. I promise to give you one hundred and ten percent of who I am, whether you like it or not. I promise to be by your side in sickness and in health, through the good times and the bad times. We may not understand the universe, why our blood pumps, or how our brains function, but I do know that there is something more to life - something magical, something awe-inspiring, because in this wide open universe of crazy people, you were the one I fell in love with, and you are the one who has agreed to be my husband. This means that miracles are real, angels are real, and I cannot wait to start my life of amazement with you."

Jacob wiped his eye aggressively. I smiled, knowing that I made him cry. This was a dream come true.

"Jacob, you may now make your promise," Emmett guided.

"Danielle, you have been my partner-in-crime, my friend, my girlfriend, my fiancé, and now you will be my wife. You are all those things and more – you are my love, my dream, and my devotion – no matter the name, you are my everything. The understanding that we have is the kind shared only by those with true love. I am a better person because of you, and because you make me better. I promise from this day forward to make a shelter of my arms, a hearth of my heart, and to let our love sustain us. I offer myself to you as I am, all my flaws and all my strengths, safe in the knowledge that you compliment me perfectly, will raise me up when I am weary, and allow me to take you by the hand when you need to be ushered through darkness. I am your protector, your future, and your lover. I trust in you, and I trust in us completely. I will love you, honor you, and cherish you above all others for all of our life."

"Danielle and Jacob, please face one another and join hands," Emmett directed. "Danielle Cullen, do you take Jacob Black to be your lawfully wedded husband? By making this commitment, you are joining in the sacred covenant of marriage. Do you promise to honor him in love, to be sensitive to his needs, to comfort him in difficulty, and to put your full and complete trust in him, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," I smiled. My hands were sweating in Jake's but I didn't care. I was in complete and total bliss right now.

"Jacob Black, do you take Danielle Cullen to be your lawfully wedded wife? By making this commitment, you are joining in the covenant of marriage. Do you promise to honor her in love, to be sensitive to her needs, to comfort her in difficulty, and to put your full and complete trust in her, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Jake smiled, and squeezed my hands.

"Good," Emmett mumbled, flipping a page in his binder and earning a few chuckles from the audience. Jake and I rolled our eyes.

"Who has the rings?" Emmett called the audience. Embry walked over to Emmett and handed him two rings. They were absolutely gorgeous.

"To commemorate this union, you may now exchange rings. The circle formed by each ring symbolizes your eternal love and commitment to one another. Let these rings remind you always of that love, and of the promises you have made here on this day. Will each of you please repeat after me as you place the ring on your loved ones hand?"

"I, Danielle Cullen," Emmett instructed, and I repeated.

"Give you, Jacob Black," he continued. I repeated.

"This ring as a symbol of my love and commitment," he said. I picked up the ring and held it, then repeated Emmett's words.

"With this ring, I thee wed," I promised, and slipped the ring on Jake's finger. It fit him perfectly.

Jake went through the same process, and slipped a beautiful diamond ring on my finger. It looked more like an engagement ring than a wedding ring. I looked at Jacob in shock. He did not have the money to afford something like this. I would have been perfectly happy with another wooden engraved ring.

"It was my mom's," he whispered, placing the ring on my finger. The waterworks began again, and I wiped my eyes with my free hands. _Sorry Rosalie._

"By the power vested in me, by the Universal Life Church and by the state of Washington, I pronounce you, Danielle Cullen and Jacob Black as wife and husband, lawfully wedded before God and before the Universe," Emmett declared.

"You guys can kiss now," Emmett whispered, ushering us together. I laughed and Jake pulled me close to him. This was way better than a walk on the beach.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present to you Mr. and Mrs. Jacob and Danielle Black!" Emmett exclaimed, and cheers erupted.

"You're incredible," I whispered to Jake, kissing him again.

"I am pretty great, aren't I?" He laughed, picking me up and twirling me around. "I love you so much," he whispered, holding me tight.

"I love you too," I held up my ring. "Forever and always."


	96. The Gift

THE GIFT

"Good morning, Mrs. Black," Jake whispered. The sun was bursting through the shades, and Jake was smiling ear to ear. I don't think he slept at all last night. I didn't think _I_ was going to sleep at all last night.

"Good morning," I smiled, remembering the events of yesterday. _I'm married now_ , I smiled.

Jake pulled a piece of hair out of my face. "How does it feel to be a married woman?" He asked, still smiling like an idiot.

"If being a married woman means I get to relive last night over and over again, it feels like heaven," I smirked, remembering all of the naughty details.

"I didn't think you were ever going to want to stop," Jake teased. "I told you with enough practice we'd get better."

"Thank _God_ it wasn't as awkward as last time," I added. "Maybe being married _is_ the key."

"I think it's just the practice, babe," Jake kissed me on the forehead. This was perfect.

"Well, I think we're well past the beginner stage now," I mentioned. He chuckled.

"Definitely," he nodded.

"Did you open any of the gifts yet?" I asked Jake, going over the list of things we needed to do today in my head.

"Babe, your parents left, my _dad_ left, and then we had sex until 3:00 AM when you finally passed out. No one opened any presents," Jake pointed out. I shrugged. He was right.

"We should take a shower," I suggested, running my fingers down his chest.

"We?" Jake asked, smirking.

"Your dad won't catch us this time," I told him. "He knows to stay away, that's why he slept at Sue's last night."

"If you say so," Jake said, then paused. "You wanna try shower sex?" He asked. I laughed.

"Jake, you barely fit in the shower on your own, never mind me in there with you. There's no way we can make that happen, we've tried, remember?"

"You're a dancer, you're flexible," Jake suggested. "Come on," he said, and picked me up.

* * *

"Jake? Dani?" We heard Billy call out some time later. We were still in the shower. Jake was right – I _was_ flexible – and shower sex was very, very good.

"You said he wouldn't be home!" Jake hissed, promptly turning the water off.

"I didn't think he would be!" I coughed, laughing. Jake was freaking out right now.

"This was a bad idea," Jake complained.

"It was _your_ idea," I reminded him, handing him a towel. "I can take care of Billy," I promised. "You go get dressed."

Jake groaned, threw on a towel, and walked out. I did the same, and went out to greet my new father-in-law.

"Hey Billy," I smirked, walking into the kitchen. He turned around to face me, then promptly covered his eyes when he realized that I was wearing nothing but a towel.

"Dani! Wow," he said. "What…what?"

"I thought you were giving us space?" I asked him suggestively.

"I was, but I also thought you lovebirds would want some food at some point," Billy complained. I noticed that he was setting up lunch on the table. Gifts were scattered around the living room, and I was glad that Rachel and Paul had also decided to give us space last night.

"That's great Dad, thank you," Jake said from behind me. "It's about time we return to the normal life, anyways." He didn't hesitate to pick up one of the chicken wings from the table.

"Well, I'm going to go put some clothes on," I said awkwardly, and practically ran back into Jake's room where I threw on a pair of sweatpants and an old t-shirt. I checked my phone, too, there were a few text messages.

 _Congratulations again, sweetheart. We love you xxx Mom & Dad._

 _Hope you didn't have too much fun last night ;) Rosalie_

The last one was a selfie from Renesmee. Apparently Bella had taught her how to use her phone. I chuckled.

"I made you a plate, babe," Jake called when I came out. I kissed him on the cheek and then sat down. He placed a moderate amount of chicken on the plate and was even courteous enough to put some veggies on there.

"Wow, this is impressive," I smiled. The Black men barely touched vegetables. Luckily for me, Rachel kept the refrigerator stocked with a wide variety.

"Anything for my girl," Jake smirked. Billy rolled his eyes.

"I'm starting to rethink this whole cohabitation thing," he grumbled. I looked down, embarrassed. I hoped that I wasn't overstaying my welcome.

"It was a joke, Dani," Jake defended, seeing my change in demeanor. "It's fine, right Dad?"

"Of course! It's been a long time since we've had this much fun in this house. Don't tell your sister, but I'd definitely rather have the two of you around than that other lazy piece of work," Billy chuckled. Billy had a soft spot for all of the wolves, and he definitely wanted his daughter around, but anyone could tell that Paul was getting on his nerves. While Jake and I were more than welcome to spend the day playing video games and taking over the living room, more often than not Billy was sending Paul and Rachel out on day excursions.

"Thank you Billy. I really do appreciate you letting me stay here," I said softly, taking a bite of chicken. I didn't know where I would live if I wasn't allowed to be here.

"When are you two gonna tackle those presents?" Billy asked, changing the subjects. I smiled at Jake.

"I think we should do them now," I suggested. Jake was long done with his meal and I was finishing up mine.

"As you wish," Jake said, standing up and taking the plates. It was the first time I had ever seen him clean the table, and Billy and I stared at each other in shock.

"What?" Jake asked, turning around.

"Married life suits you," I teased, winking at Billy. Billy nodded in response. Jake shook his head and walked over to the living room to start going through presents.

"This one is from your parents," Jake pointed out, handing me a nicely wrapped package. I opened it carefully to reveal a large, soft blanket. It had "Mr. and Mrs. Black" embroidered on one of the corners with a wolf and a heart. It looked like Mom had embroidered it at home. I didn't even realize she did that anymore.

"It's so soft," I held it close. It still smelled like them. Jake was trying hard not to scrunch his nose, but I could tell the smell was bothering him.

"You're going to want to sleep with that, aren't you?" Jake complained. I smiled.

"I'll save it for when you have to patrol," I promised him. _Or when you fall asleep_ , I added in my head.

"Open mine next!" Billy called. Jake held up a box and Billy nodded. Jake carefully unwrapped the woven masterpiece to reveal a block of wood that had carvings in it. I leaned over Jake's shoulder to take a closer look. The carvings were off the Quileute River, with the pack crest also carved in on the La Push side. On the bottom, the word "Tuxwqli" engraved.

"What does Tux-wick-li mean?" I asked, stumbling through the pronunciation. Both Billy and Jacob laughed at me.

" _TAY-hwah-lee_ ," Billy corrected, "means 'I'm going home.' It's so you can always remember that the river is your home. No matter where you two end up," Billy explained. I nodded, smiling.

"Did you make this?" I asked him, running my fingers over the parts of the river. I could follow where the Quileute River split off into the Sol Duc, the same river that surrounded my house. Jake saw where my fingers lay, even if only for a moment, and took my hand in his.

"Soon," he promised.

"Who do you think taught Jake to make that ring of yours?" Billy teased. "He didn't do it on his own!"

"Thank you so much, Billy," I smiled. "It's beautiful."

"You're very welcome, my dear," he smiled, and wheeled off.

The rest of the gifts were simple. Rosalie and Emmett bought us wine glasses, and an expensive bottle of Paddock Shiraz, despite Jake not drinking and myself not being of age. The wine glasses said "Mr." and "Mrs." on them, and Rosalie left a note.

 _When the world seems like it's ending, it's important to have a little time to "wine" now and again. Every bride should be treated like a queen on her big day! Love you most, Rosalie and Emmett._

The other gifts were much smaller, and came from other extended members of the family. We got photo frames, a knife set (silver, from Edward), some throw pillows, and some rocks, from Claire, of course. My cousins from Denali had even sent us a gift – a clock with the quote "A love like ours will withstand the test of time." It was very kind of them.

There was one box left, wrapped in extravagant paper.

"Apparently this isn't a couple's gift," Jake grumbled.

"What?" I asked him, checking the name on the other package. He was right. Not only did it have my name, it was also a package that had been shipped from somewhere. There was no return on it, though.

"That's weird," I commented.

"Would Alice have seen the wedding?" Jake asked, thinking Alice and Jasper sent it from somewhere. I shook my head.

"You planned it, not me. Plus, she wouldn't have been petty enough to only address it to me. She likes you," I argued. Jake shrugged.

"Open it and find out," Jake suggested.

I opened the box to reveal what seemed to be a getaway kit. There was what seemed to be at least $500 in cash, a passport, a plane ticket, a backpack, a lighter, and a rose.

"What the fuck?" Jake said, picking the items up out of the box. There was a card attached to the rose.

 _My dearest Danielle,_

 _I hope this package finds you well. It is very important that you do what I say. There is a flight leaving Seattle for Guadalajara, Mexico next Monday at 3:00 PM. You cannot tell anyone where you are going. This is how we escape, my dear. This is the end. I have contacts down there and we will be able to be rid of these beasts forever. I look forward to seeing you again._

 _Bona Fortuna,_

 _Ryan._

My face paled. He wanted me to meet him in _Mexico?_

"What does the card say?" Jake asked. I couldn't say anything, I just shook my head. Jake took it out of my hand.

"Are you kidding me Dani?! You're running away?!" Jake yelled.

"No!" I yelled back. "I'm not, Jake! I don't know…I didn't know…" I was beside myself.

"You didn't know, what? That we were getting _married_? Is _this_ why you didn't tell him we were engaged?" I could see tears forming in Jake's eyes. He was hurt. As he should be. I could _kill_ Ryan for this.

"Jake," I said quietly. I took a step towards him and he took a step back. I would have rather someone stick a knife through my eye.

"Jake," I whispered again. "Ryan was a spy for the Volturi. Ryan's mother worked for them. She was a human under their control. She sold herself and her son to them as a way to become immortal. She believed that they would turn her. It's my understanding that she was also involved with some of the members," I tried to explain, praying that he was listening.

"He was sent here to see if I was still human. He was supposed to report back to the Volturi that I was, instead, he held onto that secret. He hates vampires, Jake, possibly more than you used to. He wanted to escape from the Volturi and help me escape my family, who he thought were brainwashing me. He's crazy, Jake. This is all just a part of his psychotic plan. I haven't spoken to him since he got pulled from school. He's back in Italy now. I don't love him. I love you," I promised. Jake seemed to have calmed down a little, but there was still some disbelief.

"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride; so I love you because I know no other way," I recited the Pablo Neruda quote from my vows. Yesterday, everything was so perfect, and today, that shit head had to ruin everything. "I promise to give you one hundred and ten percent of who I am. I promise to be by your side in sickness and in health, through good times and bad times," I continued. I didn't dare look at Jake's face, but I heard him sigh. He came over and grabbed my hands.

"I am your protector, your future, and your lover. I trust in you, and I trust in us completely," he said, reciting a piece from his vows. I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath.

"I'm so sorry," I apologized.

"I overreacted. This wasn't your fault," Jake kissed my forehead.

"I should have told you about Ryan. About what he was trying to get me to do," I admitted. Jake nodded.

"Yeah, you should have," he said. The ground suddenly became very interesting. "However," he said, grabbing my chin and pulling my face up so he could look into my eyes. "I understand that with everything going on, some stupid kid's game wasn't the top list of things on your radar."

"I don't deserve you," I chuckled, grateful that this had blown over.

"You don't," Jake pecked me on the lips before going back to the dreaded box and the card.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"Are you planning on escaping to Mexico?" He asked, a little too serious. I shook my head.

"Not a chance," I declared. Jake nodded.

"Then you don't need this shit," Jake declared, and brought everything outside. A few moments later, I smelled smoke. Jake had used the box and the contents to start a fire. _Ladies and Gentleman, my jealous as all hell husband,_ I thought to myself before walking outside.

"I guess it's a good thing Ryan's in Italy, huh?" I teased him, now that the worst was over.

"If he ever shows his face around here again, I'll kill him myself," Jake grumbled, before running over to me and picking me up in his arms. "You're mine," he kissed. I nodded. I wouldn't want to belong to anyone else.

 **A/N: I am so excited to share these next few chapters with you all. I hope you love them as much as I've loved writing them. I am so grateful that you all have stuck with me and this story. Over 300 reviews and going strong! Thank you all and I hope you enjoy these last few chapters in the Storming Sky journey!**


	97. J Jenks

J. JENKS

Bella called me early the next morning. Luckily for me, Jake was out patrolling so I didn't have to hear him bitch about getting woken up by the ringtone.

"You do remember that humans sleep, right?" I complained. Just because I didn't want to hear it from Jacob didn't mean I wasn't going to make Bella listen to it.

"It's eight in the morning, it's not that early," Bella argued. "Even Renesmee is up."

"I don't go to school anymore, Bella, and I live with Jake. We sleep until noon most of the time," I protested. Maybe we didn't sleep until noon, but I wasn't far off.

"Speaking of your lack of school, what are you doing today?" She asked.

"Why?" I hesitated. I couldn't go over the house, so it meant she wanted to take me somewhere. The last time I let someone take me somewhere I ended up taking a picture with Santa. I definitely didn't want a repeat of that.

"I'm taking Renesmee and Seth to Charlie's so that they can hang out with Charlie and Sue while I go buy some Christmas presents, you want in?" She asked. "I figured you'd need a break from your husband by now."

"Considering we're technically still in the honeymoon phase, I'm not quite bored of him, but I am pretty damn bored of this Res and he's out patrolling…so yeah. I'm in," I smiled.

"Great," Bella said. "I can pick you up at the line? I guess I can't drive over to Jake's anymore…" she trailed. There was a hint of sadness in her voice.

"It's fine, I'll hijack a bike or something," I promised. "Just make sure you bring a car that's big enough to fit it in and not one of Edward's pansy sports cars. It's just me, you don't need to impress anyone."

"Excuse me," I heard someone whisper from the other line, and took over the phone. I cringed. I didn't realize Edward was standing within earshot. I was doomed.

"First of all, you shouldn't be riding a bike anywhere alone. Not while there are so many things that can go wrong," Edward chastised. I rolled my eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me Danielle," he warned, but continued. "Second of all, a Ferrari is not a 'pansy sports car.' It is one of the most-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there," I interrupted him. "I really don't understand how you and Jake don't get along, because all you two do is talk about cars which is, to be honest, the one thing I couldn't possibly care less about."

"I have to apologize then, because in that case I have failed you as an older brother," Edward sighed.

"Sure, gramps," I teased. "Give your wife back the phone."

"You're my hero," Bella giggled, coming back onto the line.

"A lifetime of practice," I told her. "You'll figure it out eventually. So what time are you picking me up?" I asked her.

"How does ten sound? Will that give you enough time to get ready?"

"Yeah, that works," I told her.

"Great! Renesmee will be so excited to see you. She hasn't been able to stop talking about the wedding," Bella said.

"I bet. She was adorable, I loved the dress she wore," I gushed. Of course my niece was the cutest button on the planet.

"Your mom picked that one out, actually," I could hear Bella's smile in her voice.

"Wow, that's impressive. No frills or anything," I joked. Bella laughed.

"She's learning," she defended.

"I know," I said. "Alright, I'm going to go hop in the shower. See you soon, Bella!"

"Bye, Dani!"

* * *

"You actually rode the bike here?" Bella said in disbelief when I finally made it. I was panting, and knew that the shower I had taken earlier was virtually useless now. I probably smelt terrible.

"If I can't break the rules at home anymore I might as well break them here," I chuckled. She didn't bring the Ferrari, thankfully, instead, she brought Edward's Volvo. Slightly more efficient, in my opinion.

"Your brother will be _thrilled_ to hear that," Bella chuckled.

"It's okay, Jake will have a field day with this one, too. I'm practically on house arrest while he's out patrolling. Billy had to beg him to let me take him to Sue's the other day," I laughed.

"Overprotective idiots," Bella rolled her eyes, high fiving me. "I'm so glad that's over, and even now he has trouble with letting me do things sometimes."

"You could live for another one hundred years and he'd _still_ never let you do anything," I teased. "He'll always see me as a little sister and he'll always see you as a fragile human."

"Preach," Bella said. "You ready to go?" I nodded, and went to hop in the back seat of the car, but Seth motioned to the front.

"No shotgun?" I asked him. He shook his head. He was completely at ease being with Renesmee in the back. "Hey cutie," I called to her. She smiled and waved back. She tried to wiggle closer to me, but she was trapped by the straps of the booster seat. She whined, it was obvious she hated the thing.

"It's probably only for another day or two, Ness," Seth comforted her and adjusted the straps. He was right, the next time I'd see her she'd definitely be too big for a booster seat.

* * *

"How are you, Seth?" I asked. It must be tough for him to be living in a house full of vampires. I know that Jake would absolutely hate it.

"It's alright," Seth grimaced. "I'm glad to be away from the vampires, though," he added. I could tell he enjoyed the fresh air.

"Jake could never do it," I mentioned. "He'd go crazy," I chuckled at the thought.

"Eh, they're the good guys. They're here to help, and they're going to save us. I think he'd find it all worth it. I know I do," he said, nodding towards Renesmee.

I liked Seth. He was positive and didn't ask many questions. He was a go with the flow type of kid, and that was something I always appreciated. Jake was almost the opposite, which is probably why Seth annoyed him so much sometimes. Jake always needed to ask questions and was quick to jump to conclusions. He was speculative of everything and trusted no one. He was like his Dad, an old soul.

We pulled into the driveway and Renesmee nearly jumped into my arms when she was finally released from the booster seat. She almost brought me right down to the ground.

"You're getting too big to jump on me like that, Chomper," I joked with her. It made me a little sad, though. I had all but completely missed the cute baby and toddler years. I would never get that back with her.

She reached her hand to my face, showing me images of everyone else carrying her, even Seth. I sighed. She understood in many ways the differences between the three species she was involved in, but in others, she still had trouble determining what everyone was capable of. Because she hadn't spent much time with me recently, she was confused.

"Humans are pretty weak compared to Seth and our family, Renesmee," I told her. " _You're_ going to be stronger than I am, someday." _You probably already are_ , I thought to myself.

"Hey, guys!" Charlie boomed from the front steps. Apparently we were taking too long. "It seems like it's been years! Look at you, Nessie! Come to Grampa!" He yelled, and she went running to him. She hesitated before jumping into his arms, but he was able to pick her up and swing her around with no problem. I was just the weak one, apparently. I'd have to get on that.

"I swear you've grown half a foot. And you look skinny, Ness," Charlie glared at Bella. "Aren't they feeding you up there?"

"It's just the growth spurt," Bella muttered, fighting her way into the house. "Hey, Sue!" she called.

"Well, come on in out of the cold, kids," Charlie invited, finally getting out of the way. "Where's my son-in-law?" He asked.

"Entertaining friends," Seth said, greeting Charlie and then going over to hug his mom.

"And you!" Charlie brought me into a hug that I wasn't expecting. "Billy told me the good news! Congratulations!" He said, smiling. He seemed genuinely happy, a look that I hadn't seen on him in a very long time.

"Thank you, Charlie. I wish we had more time to plan, so that more people can come. However, Jacob seems to be into surprises these days, apparently," I explained.

Charlie shook his head. "It's no worry. Billy invited me, but I was working. I wish I could have been there," he said.

"I think someone filmed the whole thing, if you ever want to watch it," I suggested. I had a feeling Renesmee was in more shots than I was, but there was a camera on a stand somewhere.

"Nah, I've seen enough weddings to last a while," Charlie grumbled. "Come on in, take a seat!" He suggested.

"Actually, Charlie, Dani and I have some errands to run," Bella suggested.

"Behind on your Christmas shopping, Bells? You only have a few days, you know," Charlie teased. I seriously had _never_ seen him like this. He was so happy.

"Yeah, Christmas shopping," Bella nodded.

"Don't worry, Nessie," Charlie whispered in her ear. "I got you covered if your mom drops the ball," he teased. I smiled and Bella rolled her eyes. I was sure with everything going on she _hadn't_ thought about Christmas shopping until now.

"Lunch is on the table," Sue called from the kitchen. Seth stood up.

"C'mon, Charlie, let's go get some food," he suggested, and picked Renesmee up.

"See you later, Dad," Bella said.

"Bye, Charlie!" I called to him.

* * *

Bella and I made small conversation on our drive, but it was nothing too heavy. Mostly just complaining about our husbands and worrying about Renesmee. Bella filled me in on all of the different characters in my house, but assured me that no one had dared go into my bedroom. It was saved for when I was able to come home.

It wasn't until we pulled into a sketchy neighborhood that I realized we weren't going Christmas shopping. We looked like we were in the inner-city somewhere. There were old buildings that were no more than three stories high. There was a dirty bar with painted windows, a psychic's supply store, a tattoo parlor, and a daycare that made me feel far too uncomfortable. There was a man standing next to one of the abandoned buildings. Bella idled for a minute, and I gave her a questioning look.

"What the heck is this, Bella?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"Just let me think," she said. She sounded like Alice.

"Hey, lady!" The man on the street came over and tapped on the window. I jumped ten feet and squealed a little bit. Bella rolled my window down. Edward would _not_ be happy about this.

"Maybe you shouldn't part that car there, lady," he suggested. "It might not be here when you get back."

"Thanks for the warning," Bella said, but ignored him. She shut off the engine and got out. My eyes widened and I took a deep breath. The man backed away, and I got out of the car. Bella came over and opened a big umbrella.

"I'm looking for someone," she began.

"I'm someone," the man offered with a smile. I took a step back, away from the man. This was a _terrible_ idea. "What can I do for you, beautiful?"

"Are you J. Jenks?" Bella asked.

"Oh," he said, and his expression changed from anticipation understanding. "Why're you looking for J?" He asked, staring her down. I would have run for the hills by now.

"That's my business," Bella said, confidently. I guess when you're a scary badass vampire creepy men don't bother you anymore. "Are you J?" She asked again.

"No," he answered. They faced each other for a long moment. He looked her up and down and then he looked at me. "You don't look like the usual customer," he mentioned.

"I'm probably not the usual," Bella admitted. "But I do need to see him as soon as possible."

"I'm not sure what to do," he admitted.

"Why don't you tell me your name?" Bella offered. The man grinned.

"Max," he smiled. It reminded me of Joe Pesci in _Home Alone._ It was a smile that shouldn't be trusted. I'd take Ryan over this guy any day.

"Nice to meet you, Max. Now, why don't you tell me what you do for the usual?" Bella suggested. She was playing this guy hard. I was kind of proud of her and also terrified at the same time. The man frowned.

"Well, J's usual clients don't look a thing like you. Your kind doesn't bother with the downtown office. You just go straight to his fancy office in the skyscraper," Max explained. Bella repeated another address to him, and he nodded. "Yeah, that's the place," he confirmed. "How come you didn't go there?"

"This was the address I was given by a very dependable source," Bella announced.

"If you were up to any good, you wouldn't be here," Max warned.

"Maybe I'm not up to any good," Bella challenged.

"Bella, let's just go home," I told her. "Whatever this is, I'm sure we can figure it out somewhere else." I was practically begging her.

"You should listen to your friend," Max suggested. Bella wasn't budging. "Look, lady-"

"Bella."

"Right, Bella. See, I need this job. J pays me pretty good to mostly just hang out here all day. I want to help you, I do, but – and of course I'm speaking hypothetically, right? Or off the record, or whatever works for you – but if I pass somebody through that could get him in trouble, I'm out of work. Do you see my problem?"

"You've never seen anyone like me here before?" Bella asked, unbelieving. "Well, sort of like me. My sister is a lot shorter than me, and she has dark, spiky black hair."

"Alice has been here?" I asked before I could stop myself. I was in this weird-ass place getting stared at by some weird ass guy because _Alice_ told Bella to come here?

"J knows your sister?" Max asked, ignoring me.

"I think so," Bella said. Max thought for a moment, and then shook his head.

"Tell you what I'll do. I'll give J a call and describe you to him. Let him make the decision."

"My last name is Cullen," Bella told Max. He pointed at me.

"What about her?" He asked.

"Cullen," I spoke before Bella could. Technically, my last name was Black now, but I needed to be a part of this connection or he would never believe her.

"Cullen, got it," Max dialed, easily picking out the number. "Hey J, it's Max. I know, I'm never supposed to call you at this number except in an emergency…well, not exactly…it's this girl who wants to see you…I didn't follow normal procedure 'cause she don't look like any kind of normal…no – no, let me talk, okay? She says you know her sister or something…she looks like…Well, she looks like a freaking supermodel, that's what she looks like. She's here with some other kid who looks a little more normal, but definitely is still some kind of beauty queen. Both have rocking bodies and the supermodel is pale as a sheet with dark brown hair and needs a good night's sleep. Beauty queen is a blonde hair blue eyed bombshell." I was _very_ uncomfortable now.

"Name," Bella whispered, trying to get Max to keep on track.

"Oh right, wait," Max called into the phone. "Both of their names are Cullen. That help?" The voice on the other end started screaming, so loud that even I could hear it. I looked at Bella, trying hard not to laugh. J was ripping Max a new asshole.

"Because you didn't ask!" Max yelled back into the phone, panicked. "I said that, didn't I?" Max answered a question I didn't hear now that J had calmed himself down. "But you only meet downstairs clients on Thursdays – okay, okay! On it," he sighed, and slid his phone shut.

"He'll see us?" Bella asked brightly. Max glowered.

"You could have told me you were a priority client," Max grumbled.

"I didn't know I was," Bella shrugged. _Priority client? What the fuck, Alice?_

"I thought you might be a cop," Max admitted. "I mean, you don't look like a cop, and you've got this kid trailing you, but you act kind of weird, beautiful." He paused for a moment. "Drug cartel?" He asked. Oh. My. God.

"Who, me?" Bella asked, shocked.

"Yeah," Max scoffed. "Or your boyfriend, or whatever."

"Nope, sorry. I'm not really a fan of drugs, and neither is my husband. Just say no and all that." Max cussed.

"Married, can't catch a break," he mumbled. "How 'bout you sweetheart?" He nodded towards me.

"Married," I spat out quickly. He looked like he didn't believe me, but luckily I was wearing my rings.

"Mafia?" He asked. Bella and I shook our heads.

"Diamond smuggling?"

"Please!" Bella groaned. "Is that the kind of people you usually deal with, Max?" She asked. "Maybe you need a new job," she suggested, probably glad that she didn't bring Renesmee with her, and regretting bringing me.

"You've got to be involved in something big. And bad," he mused.

"It's not really like that," Bella shook her head.

"That's what they all say. But who else needs papers? Or can afford to pay J's prices for them, I should say. None of my business anyway," he said, then muttered the word married again. He gave Bella a new address with basic directions, and then watched with suspicious eyes as we both got back into the car. He was even so kind as to shut my door for me.

"You know how good you are at keeping things from Edward?" Bella asked as soon as we pulled away. I nodded, still in shock at what we had just experienced.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"We don't ever tell him about this," she said.

"Or Jacob," I agreed, and we fist bumped on it.

* * *

Bella pulled into an empty lot in a much more tasteful area of the city. We walked inside one of the buildings to a beige office with celery green accents. There was a fish tank set into the wall, and it reminded me a little of a doctor's office.

"Hello," the receptionist greeted. "How can I help you?"

"We're here to see Mr. Scott," Bella announced.

"Do you have an appointment?" The woman asked.

"Not exactly," Bella mentioned. The receptionist smirked.

"It could be a while, then. Why don't you have a seat while I-"

"April!" A man's demanding voice squawked from the phone on her desk. It made me jump a little bit. "I'm expecting a Ms. Cullen shortly. Send her and her guest in immediately. Do you understand? I don't care what it's interrupting." Bella pointed at herself, and I smirked. _Heck yeah, Cullen family._

"Ms. Cullen and her…"

"Sister," I filled in the blanks.

"Right, Ms. Cullen and her sister have just arrived," April said as soon as she could speak. The voice on the phone went into panic mode again.

"What? Send her in! What are you waiting for?" He demanded.

"Right away, Mr. Scott!" April got to her feet, fluttering her hands as she led us down a short hallway, offering us coffee, tea, and literally anything else we could possibly want. "Here you are," she said as she ushered us through the door into a power office, complete with a heavy wooden desk and a vanity wall.

"Close the door behind you," A man's voice ordered. The man was short and balding, old and fat. Definitely not as intimidating as I expected, particularly as he looked absolutely terrified. He was trembling, blanched to a sickly paste color that matched most of my family members. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he was probably developing an ulcer. He reached his hand across his desk.

"Mrs. Cullen, what an absolute delight," he offered, and Bella took his hand and nodded.

"And…the other Mrs. Cullen?" J suggested, but I shook my head.

"Cullen is my maiden name," I corrected. "I'm Mrs. Black now, technically."

"Mrs. Black, then," J offered his hand, and I shook it.

"Mr. Jenks, or do you prefer Mr. Scott?" I asked. He winced.

"Whatever you wish, of course."

"How about we go with Bella, Danielle, and J?" Bella suggested, trying to loosen up the tension in the room.

"Like old friends," J agreed, moping a silk handkerchief across his forehead. "I must ask, am I finally meeting Mr. Jasper's lovely wife?"

"His sister-in-law, actually," Bella corrected. "And his sister by blood," Bella mentioned, pointing to me.

"I trust Mr. Jasper is in good health?" He asked carefully.

"I'm sure he's in excellent health," Bella answered. "He's on an extended vacation at the moment," she explained, and it seemed to clear up some of the confusion.

"Just so. You should have come to the main office. My assistants there would have put you straight through to me – no need to go through less hospitable channels," J explained. Leave it to Alice to give us the ghetto address.

"Anyways, you're here now. What can I do for you?" J asked, and I looked to Bella. What _were_ we doing here?

"Papers," Bella said.

"Certainly," J agreed. "Are we talking birth certificates, death certificates, drivers' licenses, passports, social security cards…?" J listed off several options. I felt like I was dealing with Ryan rather than Bella at the moment.

"Four birth certificates, four passports, one driver's license," Bella said in a low, strained tone. I looked at her shocked.

"Bella, what the-" she shook her head. Now wasn't the time.

"The names?" J asked, looking up.

"Seth…Wolfe and…Vanessa Wolfe, for the first two," Bella explained. She was making false papers for Renesmee and Seth.

"And the second two?" J asked.

"Jacob and Danielle Wolfe, too, for the others."

"Middle names?"

"Just put something generic in," Bella said.

"If you prefer," J nodded. "Ages?"

"Twenty seven for Jacob, twenty-two for Seth, eighteen for Danielle, and five for Vanessa," Bella instructed.

"I'll need pictures if you prefer finished documents," J said. "Mr. Jasper usually liked to finish them himself."

"Hold on," Bella said, pulling out her wallet. She found a picture of Seth and Renesmee on the front porch of the house, as well as a picture of Jake and me. "Here you go," she handed them to J. He stared at the photos for a moment.

"Your daughter is very like you," J mentioned, and Bella tensed.

"She's more like her father," Bella offered.

"Who is not this man," he touched Jacob's face.

"That's my husband," I told him, and Bella gave me a look that said I was giving away too much information. "The other man is his brother," I explained, trying to tie together the family tree.

"Forgive me," J mumbled. "How soon will you need the documents?"

"Can I get them in a week?" Bella asked.

"That's a rush order. It will cost twice as – but forgive me, I forgot with whom I was speaking," J retracted whatever he was going to say. Clearly, he knew my family well.

"Just give me a number," Bella offered. He seemed hesitant to give her the price out loud, though if he had dealt with Jasper before he should have known that price wasn't really an object. He moved some things around and then handed Bella a piece of paper to sign.

"There," Bella said, giving him the entire sum in cash. I looked at her with wide eyes. Where did she get all of that?

"Ah, Bella, you don't really have to give me the entire sum now. It's customary for you to save half to ensure delivery," J explained, clearly uncomfortable with the change in procedure.

"I trust you, J. Besides, I'll give you a bonus – the same again when I get the documents."

"That's not necessary, I assure you," J tried to argue, but Bella put her hand up. She was truly turning into a Cullen.

"Don't worry about it," she said.

"So I'll meet you here next week at the same time?" Bella suggested. J looked uncomfortable at that suggestion as well.

"Actually, I prefer to make such transactions in places unrelated to my various businesses," he explained.

"Of course. I'm sure I'm not doing this the way you expect," Bella apologized.

"I'm used to having no expectations when it comes to the Cullen family," he grimaced, then quickly composed his face again. He wasn't wrong. "Shall we meet at eight o'clock a week from tonight at The Pacifico? It's on Union Lake, and the food is exquisite."

"Perfect," Bella smiled. "Will you have trouble with the deadline?" Bella asked, noticing a weird look on J's face when she went to shake his hand.

"What?" He looked up, taken off guard by her question. "The deadline? Oh, no. No worries at all. I will certainly have your documents done on time," he assured her.

"Then I'll see you in one week," Bella smiled, and we walked out of the office.


	98. Christmas

CHRISTMAS

We were in the car for less than a minute before I asked Bella to explain to me why the hell she needed fake for us.

"Alice," she explained. "Alice set this whole thing up. It's why you need to be human," she said. I still wasn't following her. "If it comes down to a fight, I need you to take my daughter somewhere where she will be safe. Seth will get her to you, Jake will get to you, but you need to know what to do."

"Bella," I stuttered. "I don't – I don't know…"

"I _need_ you to do this, Danielle. If Renesmee, Seth, and Jake are able to get away, we will kill Dimitri. The Volturi won't be able to find you. You have to go somewhere and try to find Alice and Jasper. The six of you can be a family and raise my daughter. I believe in you."

"Does Edward know?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"No one can know but us right now," she stated. "It's the only way to make sure that Aro doesn't find out." I nodded.

"Where do you think Alice and Jasper are? Where would we even go?" I asked Bella. There was suddenly so much pressure on my shoulders.

"Last I heard they were somewhere in South America. If you go to Rio, then you can get to Isle Esme and hide out there for a while as a rendezvous point until Alice can think of a better plan. Once you're with Alice and Jasper, you'll be fine."

"Where do I wait for Seth and Renesmee?" I asked. Would Jake actually leave if it came down to a fight? The only thing stronger than an imprint bond was the wolf bond, and he was an alpha. Could he leave his pack behind?

"Where are you staying during the fight?"

"Probably with the other imprints, but I'm not sure. Jake and I haven't really talked about it…"

"I think you should stay in Forks," Bella suggested. "If something happens, we won't able to get to you if you're with the other imprints."

"I can't stay at my house or Charlie's, they'll know where to find me," I told her.

"Tyler?" Bella asked.

"I can't put him at risk like that," I disagreed. No way.

"Then you'll have to escape somehow. Say that you need to go to school or something."

"I'm taking online classes, Bella. Never mind the fact that everyone is on break right now," I complained. For someone who has snuck around her entire life, she was pretty bad at it.

"Don't you still need to meet with people at the school, though? Like counselors or something?"

"I've already been accepted into three schools, they don't care about me anymore. They are more than happy to get rid of the Cullen dynasty, I think. They'd have a heart attack if I walked in."

"Well…then just…try to stay away from the imprints. Take a walk on the beach or something. Jake can't get you if they're around, it's not fair," Bella frowned.

"Trust me, I know," I rolled my eyes. There was a reason I didn't hang out with them as much anymore.

"It'll be okay," Bella smiled. I hoped she was right.

* * *

Christmas was hard. I woke up in the morning and did presents with Jake and Billy. Eventually, we went over to breakfast at Sam and Emily's and met with the other imprints. Quil was on the phone with Claire, who was telling him all about the presents that Santa got her. I couldn't help but think that Seth had the same look on his face at home. Nessie might be growing quickly, but with everything going on, I wouldn't doubt that Bella and Edward took this opportunity. She was still just a child.

Edward, Bella, Seth, and Renesmee were going to head over to Charlie's for dinner. Sue and Leah would be there as well. Billy, Jake and I were invited and would head over after I met with my own parents. I still couldn't go home, so my Mom and Dad bought a small motel room for us to do Christmas activities in. Rosalie and Emmett would meet us there as well.

"This place looks sketchy as fuck," Jake complained once we pulled in.

"Well, until the treaty lines open up, there's really nothing we can do about it," I snapped. "Trust me, I'd rather be at my own house, too."

"I didn't mean it like that, babe," Jake apologized, rubbing my back. I grabbed some gifts out of the back seat, and I had to take a minute. I didn't want my family to see me upset.

"I'm just…this isn't how Christmas is supposed to be, Jake. I'm not supposed to have to go to ten different places just to see my family. Alice and Jasper won't even be here…this isn't how Christmas is supposed to be," I teared up, and Jake pulled me into a hug. I tried to wipe away some of the tears, but at this point I didn't know if I could save my makeup.

"This will all be over soon," Jake promised.

"Yeah, and we'll all be dead," I stated. Jake shot me a look. "I'm sorry," I apologized. "I just…it's freaking me out. I've been able to ignore it, but it's hitting me harder today than I expected."

"I know," Jake said, rubbing my arms. "I feel it too."

"You're amazing," I told him. "I love you."

"I love you too," he said. "Let's go see your family."

* * *

Emmett was setting up a small Christmas tree when we walked in, and the mood instantly shifted. Everyone plastered on their fake smiles and pretended, even if only for a few hours, that everything was going to be okay. Edward and Bella were at the cottage with Renesmee, which I didn't mind since I'd see them later.

"Merry Christmas, darling," Mom greeted, pulling me into a hug. Dad did the same, followed by Rosalie and Emmett.

"Merry Christmas, guys," I told them. It was quiet for a few minutes before Dad suggested we open presents.

"You really didn't have to get me anything, I mean, you just bought us gifts for the wedding," I told them.

"Nonsense," Rosalie said. "That's for a wedding, this is for Christmas. Be grateful," she teased.

"Alright, alright," I smiled, opening my gifts. They were even kind enough to get Jake some things. Thanks to all the time spent at our house while Bella was pregnant, Mom was able to figure out Jake's clothing size. She bought him some nice shorts and shirts.

"You trying to tell me something, Mrs. Cullen?" Jake smirked, holding up the clothes.

"Yeah, you dress like a slob," I teased him, and he feigned a sad expression. I laughed. "Thank you, Mom," I told her. She smiled, glad that Jake was opening up to being a part of this family.

Rosalie got me sister necklaces. She promised that when Alice got back she would give her the other one. Each of us had a different color. Rosalie's was green, mine was blue, and Alice's was red. Emmett re-wrapped the picture we took with Santa, and I finally got my copy. He joked, saying that was my only gift, and then handed me another envelop. Inside of the envelope was a calendar with a schedule for the Northwest Driving School on it.

"Are you serious?" I asked him. Emmett nodded. Mom and Dad were smiling.

"That's part one," Dad mentioned. "Part two is outside in the parking lot," he smiled.

"We figure if you're going to be independent from now on you might want to learn how to get around without an escort," Rosalie added.

"Can we _please_ go look at the car now?" Jake begged from behind me. I glared at him.

"It's _my_ present!" I complained. "You can wait!"

"Babe, you and I both know that this is going to be a 'we' gift," Jake argued. I shook my head.

"Not a chance, wolf-boy," I teased him. "You can run."

"Babe," he looked genuinely upset that I wouldn't let him drive whatever vehicle my parents had bought. I shook my head and laughed before pushing him out of the way and running out the door. It took him less than a second before he caught on, and I was running faster than an Olympic sprinter trying to keep in front of him.

* * *

"I can't believe they bought you a Chevy Malibu." It had been an hour since we left my family at the hotel and Jake was still gushing over my new car. I smiled. I loved seeing him this happy. It was the only thing saving me from sobbing right now. It was never easy to leave your parents, but it was especially hard when there was a very real chance you may never see them again.

"They did it for you," I told him. "They like you."

"You do need to learn how to drive, though. I don't think you need to go to those dumb classes, though. If I can teach Bella to ride a motorcycle, I can teach you to drive a car. We'll just start on the Rabbit," Jake rambled. I chuckled.

"According to the state of Washington, I need to go to a licensed driving school. Be glad they had enough sense to keep me in Forks," I told him. I did love the idea of driving. It was never necessary when we were all together, but Rosalie was right. If this was the new future for us, everyone being all over the place, I needed to know how to drive. Additionally, if I was going to become a runaway, I should learn how to get around on my own with a child.

"It's a load of bologna. Everyone on the reservation starts driving when they're ten," Jake complained. I rolled my eyes.

"It's only a few classes, hun," I told him. "And then you won't have to drive me around anymore," I smirked.

"Maybe I like driving you around," he suggested. I looked at him.

"Are you jealous of my car?" I asked him. He didn't answer.

"It's a _car_ , Jake. You're my husband. Trust me, no vehicle is going to be more important to me than you are," I promised him, astonished that he felt threatened by an inanimate object.

"I just don't like the idea that you won't need me as much anymore," he mumbled quietly. I laughed, and leaned over the seat to kiss him.

"I will always need you," I told him. He smiled, and kissed me back before I got back in my seat.

* * *

"Merry Christmas Auntie Dani!" Renesmee cheered when Jake and I came through the door. She had already torn through all of her presents from Grandpa Charlie, and was eager to see what Jake and I brought her.

"Merry Christmas, sweetie," I picked her up to the best of my ability and twirled her around. She placed her hand on my face and showed me everything she got from Santa this morning. I smiled. She was absolutely spoiled.

"What about me, kiddo?" Jake asked, and Renesmee wiggled out of my arms and ran towards Jake. I chuckled when she jumped right onto him.

"Merry Christmas, guys!" I said, hugging Bella and Edward. "Good to know that Santa still has a decent amount of money in his bank account," I hinted towards Edward. He shrugged, smiling. _You spoil her_ , I told him.

"You were spoiled," He pointed out.

"And look where I ended up," I quipped. Edward rolled his eyes.

"If my daughter is half of the woman you are, she will be perfectly fine," Edward said. My eyes widened.

"Edward, that might possibly be the biggest compliment you have ever given me," I told him. He smiled.

"Merry Christmas," he said, pulling me into a hug.

* * *

"Dinner was wonderful, Sue," I mentioned as I helped to clean up the dishes. Bella tried, but Renesmee was getting tired and fussy. Seth was attempting to keep her occupied, but was failing. I didn't even think another trip from Santa could cure her exhaustion.

"Thank you, dear," Sue smiled. "You and Jake should get going, you don't need to help clean up."

"It's fine, Sue, really. It's the least I can do," I told her.

"I gave up that fight a long time ago, Sue," Billy chortled from the background. I shot Billy a look, and he just shrugged.

"Hey, Mom, we're gonna head out. Renesmee's tired," Seth said, walking into the kitchen. Jake followed behind him. I could hear Renesmee arguing with Bella and Edward in the living room. _Still think she'll be great if she turns out like me?_ I asked. If that was the case, this wasn't going to end any time soon.

"Oh, please go," Sue said, kissing her son. "You're coming home tomorrow, right?" She asked. Seth nodded.

"For a little while," he promised. "I have to bug Leah."

"Leave your sister alone," Sue warned. I laughed. She sounded just like my mother.

"Sue, thank you so much for dinner," Bella said, apologetic that she had to leave so soon.

"You're very welcome my dear. I hope you had a very merry Christmas, Miss Nessie," Sue cooed towards the tired little girl in Bella's arms.

"I'll walk you out," I told Bella as she said goodbye to Charlie. It hadn't struck me until now that this would be the last time we all saw each other before the Volturi came.

I sighed as Bella put Renesmee in her car seat. I was trying hard not to think of our impending doom, but I was failing miserably.

"There are a lot of people on our side," Edward comforted. "It's not guaranteed, but with any luck, we'll be okay."

"I just don't think I can fathom the thought of losing any of you," I told them.

"Don't think about it," Bella said. "Just think about moving back home once this is all over, and how much you want to get paid for babysitting my daughter," she smiled.

"Well, I mean if you're asking…" I teased, bringing my mood around. There would be plenty of time to dwell on everything over the next few days. I didn't want to ruin the atmosphere while I was still able to be in the present with those I loved.

"I don't want to say goodbye," I whispered quietly. If they weren't vampires, I wasn't sure they would have heard me. I had a similar moment earlier with my parents. This was the hardest part of Christmas this year.

"I know," Edward said, pulling me into a hug. "You don't need to."

"Please don't die," I whimpered, trying not to cry. I could feel Jake edge closer to me.

"That's the plan," Edward sighed, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "I love you. So much," he said. "I'm so proud of the young woman you have become. Your mother would be so proud of you."

"We come from a pretty great line, don't we?" I asked, hoping a bad joke would lighten the tension. Bella gave a sympathetic chuckle.

"We do," Edward smiled. "Be brave, Danielle," he whispered before letting me go. It reminded me of what he said a long time ago, when our problems weren't nearly this big, but it still felt like the world was going to end. Hopefully, this would be the same, and a year from now, we'd laugh at how terrified we all were.

"You okay?" Jake asked as Bella and Edward's car pulled away. I shook my head. I wasn't, but Edward was right. I needed to be brave now. I thought that the hardest part would be moving away from home, and learning how to live without my family beside me. That wasn't the hardest part. The hardest part was waiting. Waiting to find out if I would make it out of this town alive or not. If I would have to raise Renesmee and hunt down Alice and Jasper. Waiting, because this was never about me. I had to be brave, but that didn't mean I had to be okay.

Like I said before, Christmas was really, really hard this year.


	99. Trials

TRIALS

Under the best of circumstances, death is difficult. Losing my mother was one of the most painful experiences of my life, and I was still far too young to understand what death was. Even though I knew Esme and Carlisle were my parents, and my siblings were my siblings, there was still a hole in my chest. The woman who gave birth to me, who was my entire world for five years, was suddenly no longer there. As I grew up, there was a longing that I always felt guilty for. My mom was dead, and I never got closure from that.

The same pit in my stomach followed me around for most of the night. Edward had texted Jake around 3:00 AM saying that he should gather the pack and make his way over to the clearing as soon as possible. As soon as Jake woke me up – normally he didn't, but this time was different – I knew what conversation we were going to have.

"We didn't have enough time," I whimpered. "It's not fair."

"I know," Jake whispered, holding me close. "I know."

"You better make it out of this alive, Jacob Black. You better be one of the people who makes it out alive," I warned him. I was trying desperately to keep myself together. If he did…if something bad did happen, I didn't want his last image of me to be an emotional dumpster fire.

"I will do everything I can, baby," he promised me. "You packed your go bag, right?" He asked, looking around. He needed to leave.

"Jake," I pulled him so he was looking at me again. "I mean it. If it comes down to a fight, you leave and you come find me. I don't care how selfish I'm being, I don't care if the rest of the pack is still fighting. You follow Seth and Renesmee, and you leave." I wasn't sure if I revealed too much information, but he had to know what Bella's plan was.

"I can't, baby. I'm an alpha. First one in, last one out."

"This is bigger than the wolf-pack, Jake. This is about Renesmee, and keeping her safe. Giving her a family. Keeping as much of my family together as possible. If Seth and Renesmee go, you go. Promise me," I told him. He looked tortured.

"I can't," he groaned. "I can't leave my pack behind."

"You will," I vowed. I didn't know how Bella planned to get Renesmee and Seth in on everything, but I'm sure she had a plan. I didn't want to reveal anything else, so I let it go. I trusted Bella. My Jacob _would_ make it out of this battle alive. I couldn't think of the alternative.

"We have to go," Jake nudged, kissing me before getting out of bed and throwing some clothes on. He was going to drop me off at Emily's before the boys left. Anyone who didn't have an imprint was already out patrolling. It was going to be a tough day for a lot of people.

* * *

Kim was screaming. Literally clutching her chest and screaming. Emily was doing her best to calm her down – Claire was here as well, still sleeping, and she didn't want to disturb her. Claire was probably the luckiest. Quil's goodbye was pretty sappy, but Claire had no idea what was going on. The rest of us were terrified. There was a very real chance that we would never see our wolves again. Even Rachel knew how bad this was.

If I could relate to anyone in this situation, it was her. She was the only one other than me who was at risk of losing more than a life partner. She had already lost her mother, her sister lived permanently in Hawaii, and now both the love of her life and her baby brother were off fighting a war they didn't belong in. We kept stealing glances at each other.

"This is your fault!" Kim started yelling.

"Kim!" Emily gasped. I nodded. She was right. In her eyes, I was a great person to blame. I hadn't said anything since Jake left. I didn't even cry. I sat on the couch and retreated into myself, trying to fight the feelings off. I had cried enough over this day in anticipation. It was here now, and there was nothing I could do about it.

"She doesn't mean that, she's just upset," Rachel whispered beside me. I shrugged.

"I get it," I told her.

"It hurts more than I expected it to, being away from him like this," Rachel mused.

"Yeah," I agreed. Even when I didn't know about imprinting, being away from Jake felt like someone was ripping my heart out of my chest. I was able to forgive him so often because it hurt too much to fight with him. Unfortunately knowing why it hurt so much didn't stop the pain.

At around 4:30 AM, my phone buzzed.

 _Remember to find a way to separate yourself from the imprints. This has to work. I know you'll take good care of my daughter. I'm so lucky to have known you, Danielle Cullen. Xxx Bella._

I coughed, trying to hide the tears. I wiped at my face quickly. So much for pushing the feelings away. This girl was going to be the death of me.

"Shit," I swore, looking through my backpack.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked, looking concerned.

"I left something at your house," I complained. It was a lame excuse, but hopefully it would get me back to Billy's house. No one was home there, so when Jake and Seth came by it wouldn't be an issue.

"What's wrong?" Emily said, coming into the living room now that Kim had cooled off a bit. Other than Emily, she had been with her imprint the longest. Unlike Emily, her imprint wasn't the Alpha. She had a harder time holding herself together.

"I just…I left something at Jake's. I really need to go back and find it," I said, pretending to panic.

"What did you leave there?" Emily asked.

"It's dumb, really, but I need it," I said. "It's something my parents gave me for when I was scared. I meant to bring it, but I wasn't awake enough," I added some tears. It's a good thing I knew how to act.

"I can't let you leave, Dani. Why don't you have some tea or something instead?" Emily suggested. I could tell she was trying to avoid another breakdown.

"Let her leave," Kim growled from the entrance. "She doesn't belong here."

"Shut up, Kim," Rachel defended me, then turned back to me. "Is it the bunny?" She asked.

"Yeah," I nodded. She must have seen it on Jake's bed.

"Emily," Rachel whispered, taking Emily over to another part of the room. They argued for a few minutes before Emily sighed.

"I can't drive you," she said. "You'll have to walk. I'm not sure how secure the borders are, but it should be early enough that nothing has happened yet. Text me as soon as you get to Jake's and as soon as you are on your way back. If anything happens to you, Jake is going to _kill_ me," Emily complained.

"He wouldn't," I smirked. "I'd haunt his ass." I hugged Emily and Rachel. "Thank you so much," I told them. Emily nodded, still looking uncomfortable. I was going way off course here, as far as imprints were concerned. If she hadn't been fighting with Kim for so long, she might have had more energy to fight with me. Luckily for me, she didn't.

* * *

I ran to Jake's house faster than I had ever run before. Just because I trusted Bella didn't mean that I trusted the Volturi not to come onto enemy land. _They_ didn't have a treaty with the Quileutes. I raced into Jake's house and slammed the door shut. Billy was at Sue's with some of the other parents. No one was home. I locked the door, then checked it. A locked door certainly wouldn't help me against a vampire, but it made me feel a little better.

I took a deep breath before heading to Jake's room. When I turned into the living room, however, there was someone sitting there. I nearly screamed when I saw who it was.

"Danielle!" He called, rushing over to me. He was bruised and bloodied. Someone had hurt him. Bad.

"Ryan?" I asked, in complete shock. How did he find me here? "What are you doing here? Who did this to you?" I spit off questions. Ryan shook his head. He looked terrified.

"You have to leave," he whispered. I almost couldn't hear him. "It's a trap, you have to leave-" he was cut off by someone snapping his neck from behind. Ryan's body dropped to the ground revealing a tall, olive colored man with bright red eyes. There was no doubt in my mind that he was a vampire, and there was no doubt in my mind that he was a member of the Volturi. This time, I did scream. They found me.

"You run, you die too," the man said. "Come with me," he warned, and grabbed my arm.

* * *

"Keep up!" He commanded as he dragged me through the forest. My arm was definitely broken and I could barely breathe. He was dragging me so hard I had to keep a steady jog. He was relentless, and never let go of my arm. A part of me wanted to just stop and have him drag the rest of me to wherever we were going, but I couldn't think straight.

"Stop fighting it, love," he warned me, seeing me try to struggle. I was foolish to think I could get away from a vampire. His grip didn't loosen the slightest, even when I tried to pull away. The only thing that accomplished was dislocating my shoulder. The man rolled his eyes and threw me over his shoulder before running at a vampire pace.

I felt like I was a piece of meat dangling from a lion's mouth. I was sick to my stomach from the ride over, but I was too afraid to throw up. My body was fighting me, and I couldn't make it stop. To make matters worse, when we finally reached out destination, he threw me off of him and onto the ground. I heard something else crack, and my breath escaped me.

"Dani!" I heard someone yell, followed by several growls. I looked up to see myself surrounded by vampires with bright red eyes in long black coats. There were women and men, and one man in particular walked over to me and offered me his hand. The others stared at him. _This must be Aro_ , I thought to myself.

"Let me help you up, my dear," He said in a voice that would put the twins from _The Shining_ to shame.

"I can get up on my own," I growled at him, and then slowly and painfully got on my feet. I could barely stand, and started to fall over a bit. The olive man rolled his eyes and helped me steady myself. There were more growls from somewhere else in the clearing. I knew that if Aro touched my hand, there would be no more secrets. He'd know about my time with the Cullens, my imprint with Jacob, Bella's plan to help Renesmee escape, everything. There would be no doubt that we would all be sentenced to death.

"Peace," Aro held up his hand. He turned back to me. "I've heard many good things about you, my dear Danielle," he whispered. He still held his hand out as an invitation.

"I'm a good person," I said, awkwardly. Almost like I was trying to defend myself.

"I don't doubt that. Yet, here we are," Aro gestured towards the rest of the clearing. For the first time, I got a good look at how many people were here. I saw Irina huddled in the distance, terrified. I could kill her myself for putting us in this position. "An immortal child and a human girl, all in the same family."

"I intend to become a vampire, and she's _not_ an immortal child," I told him, pleading to any God that existed that he'd believe me.

"Yet, you won't take my hand. You're hiding something, Danielle," Aro turned his head to the side.

"Alice has shown you. I'm telling you the truth!" I told him.

"Then prove it," Aro said, holding out his hand.

"You could always join your friend," the olive man whispered from behind me. "Or the girl," he gestured off in the corner towards a fire. My eyes widened. Who had they killed? I wished that my eyesight was strong enough to see where my family was standing. All I could see was an army of bodies, no one person in particular stood out from this far.

"We were going to wait until I was eighteen," I whispered quietly, still not taking Aro's hand. I could tell he was getting impatient. "If you don't believe me, turn me now."

Aro chuckled, and turned towards his audience.

"You've raised a very brave girl, Carlisle!" Aro cheered. "Come over, old friend." Tears started falling down my face. _Please don't bring him into this_ , I begged.

Immediately, my dad was by Aro's side. I went to take a step closer to him, but the olive man grabbed my shoulder, causing me to collapse in pain.

"Demetri, that is unnecessary," Dad hissed. "You don't need to torture her in this way."

"Give in, child," Aro commanded. "Give me your hand."

"Do it, Danielle," Dad nodded. "It'll be okay." I looked at him. Even he didn't know all of my secrets. Bella trusted me. She trusted me to keep her daughter safe. I could not give Aro my hand.

"I know too much," I confessed. "I've known about vampires since I was six years old and I know more about them than any other human. After Edward and Alice visited you in Volterra, they made it clear that someday I would have to make a decision. My life or my humanity. I could not remain human and be a part of their world. It is a crime, I confess," I pleaded. "For a long time, I didn't want to become a vampire. I was going to hide. Ryan was going to help me hide," I said, looking at the olive man – Demetri, Dad called him – and glaring. He was the one who killed him. "Still, I don't want to die today. You've already killed two people. I don't want to be the third. I can give you my hand and I can give you my soul, but you need to give me my family."

"Aro!" A voice that I would recognize anywhere called from the crowd. It was Alice. My heart stopped and the tears fell even harder when I saw her walk over.

"Alice," Aro smiled. "I am assuming you have something to show me?"

"Yes," she said, sadly. I looked over to her. Alice came back. I tried to give her a smile, but too many things were happening.

"It is finished, then," Aro said, letting go of Alice's hands. "There will be no fight here today, friends."

A few of the vampires around me looked infuriated, particularly a blonde one standing on the other side of Aro. Demetri clutched my arms tighter, and brought me to my feet. I screamed out in pain as he lifted me up.

"What do we do with the girl?" Demetri asked, looking at Aro. Aro shrugged.

"It's her decision," Aro explained. "What is it, my dear? Will you choose immortality or death?"

I looked at Alice and I looked at my dad. I wished that I could see Jacob's face. I was going to break his heart. I thought I was prepared for this decision, but I wasn't. I didn't want to die today, but I wasn't ready to become a vampire. I thought I would have more time.

"I need your decision, Danielle," Aro sighed impatiently. My heart was beating out of my chest, and I was afraid I was taking too long. I was afraid that I wouldn't get to see those I loved again. At any moment, it could be over.

"Danielle," Dad said from somewhere beside me. I had never heard his voice so distressed before. I heard screaming in the distance, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Was it my mom? Jacob? Would I ever see them again? Could Renesmee see this? Did I let Bella down?

"Time's up," Aro said, moving closer to me. Before he could get to me, however, someone ran over to me and bit into my neck, sending fire through my body. Time was up, and my decision had been made for me.


	100. Storming Sky

JACOB POV

Leaving Dani went against every piece of my existence. I knew my brothers were feeling the same way, but it was different with her. This was her family. All of the other imprints, they had someone else to go home to. If this ended badly, she wouldn't, and I couldn't bear the thought of that.

I had gotten to the clearing with the boys and basically told them to do whatever Edward said. He and the doc were placing people as they came into a loose formation.

 _Stop whining, Jake_ , Leah said from beside me. I growled. Just because she was my Beta didn't mean she could boss me around.

 _Quiet you two,_ Embry hissed from my other side. _They're coming._

We looked over and saw the rigid formation of the leeches. They moved together like a plague of locusts, setting out to destroy everything.

"The redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming," one of the new leeches muttered.

"They did come," one of the Romanians whispered.

"The wives," the other one hissed back. "The entire guard. All of them together. It's well we didn't try Volterra."

We watched the seemingly endless flow of vampires come into the clearing. We didn't have enough numbers on our side.

Edward snarled close by. "Alistair was right," he murmured to the doc.

"Alistair was right?" One of the blonde ones said.

"They – Caius and Aro – come to destroy and acquire," Edward growled. "They have many layers of strategy already in place. If Irina's accusation had somehow proven to be false, they were committed to find another reason to take offense. But they can see Renesmee now, so they are perfectly sanguine about their course." Edward glanced at me.

"Where is Danielle?" He asked, panicking.

 _With the imprints_ , I told him. _Why?_

"Demetri isn't here," Edward mused. He looked concerned.

 _Edward_ , I called to him.

"I'm sure it's fine. They don't seem to want anything to do with her," he said, but I could tell he was lying.

"We need you here, Jacob," Someone else said. I had a bad feeling about this.

There was a long silence while the royal leeches got their footing in the clearing. Eventually, they stopped moving. As the pause lengthened, Edward's breath sped up. I've never seen him this nervous before.

"Edward?" Carlisle asked, low and anxious.

"They're not sure how to proceed. They're weighing options, choosing key targets - me, of course, you, Eleazar, Tanya. Marcus is reading the strength of our ties to each other, looking for weak points. The Romanians' presence irritates them. They're worried about the faces they don't recognize - Zafrina and Senna in particular - and the wolves, naturally. They've never been outnumbered before. That's what stopped them."

"Outnumbered?" The Alaskan blonde whispered incredulously. I was thinking the same thing. If anything, _we_ were the ones who were outnumbered.

"They don't count their witnesses," Edward breathed. "They are nonentities, meaningless to the guard. Aro just enjoys an audience."

"Should I speak?" Carlisle asked. Edward hesitated, then nodded.

"This is the only chance you'll get."

Carlisle squared his shoulders and paced several steps ahead of our defensive line. He spread his arms, holding his palms up as if in greeting.

"Aro, my old friend. It's been centuries." The white clearing was dead silent for a long moment. There was tension everywhere. One wrong move and a war would break out.

After a long moment, the head leech – Aro - stepped forward out of the center of the Volturi formation. Someone else moved with him.

For the first time, the ranks reacted. A muttered grumble rolled through the line, eyebrows lowered into scowls, lips curled back from teeth. A few of the ones in front – the guard, I guess - leaned forward into a crouch. Boss man held one hand up toward them.

"Peace." He walked just a few paces more, then cocked his head to one side. His milky eyes glinted with curiosity.

"Fair words, Carlisle," he breathed in his thin, wispy voice. "They seem out of place, considering the army you've assembled to kill me, and to kill my dear ones."

Carlisle shook his head and stretched his right hand forward as if there were not still almost a hundred yards between them. "You have but to touch my hand to know that was never my intent."

Their leader's shrewd eyes narrowed. "But how can your intent possibly matter, dear Carlisle, in the face of what you have done?"

"I have not committed the crime you are here to punish me for."

"Then step aside and let us punish those responsible. Truly, Carlisle, nothing would please me more than to preserve your life today."

"No one has broken the law, Aro. Let me explain." Again, Carlisle offered his hand. Another vampire – a blonde one – floated over to the leader's side.

"So many pointless rules, so many unnecessary laws you create for yourself, Carlisle," the white-haired ancient hissed. "How is it possible that you defend the breaking of one that truly matters?"

"The law is not broken. If you would listen -"

"We see the child, Carlisle," Whitey snarled. "Do not treat us as fools."

"She is not an immortal. She is not a vampire. I can easily prove this with just a few moments -"

"If she is not one of the forbidden, then why have you massed a battalion to protect her?"

"Witnesses, Caius, just as you have brought." Carlisle gestured in our direction. There were a few growls. "Any one of these friends can tell you the truth about the child. Or you could just look at her, Caius. See the flush of human blood in her cheeks."

"Artifice!" Whitey snapped. "Where is the informer? Let her come forward!" He craned his neck around until he spotted one of the Alaskan blondes. "You! Come!"

The blonde stared unsure of what to do. Impatiently, whitey snapped his fingers. Another huge vampire prodded her in the back, encouraging her to move forward. She stopped several yards short of the white asshole, staring at someone on our side. Whitey moved closer to her and slapped her across the face. He pointed one finger at Renesmee, who was on Bella's back and holding onto Seth's fur. Seth growled.

"This is the child you saw?" Whitey demanded. "The one that was obviously more than human?" This guy needed a valium.

The blonde tilted her head to the side in utter confusion. _This is what happens when you jump the gun, you tick._

"Well?" Whitey snarled, impatiently.

"I…I'm not sure," the girl said, perplexed.

This went on for a while, with Whitey torturing the poor girl. She made a mistake, but this was just public humiliation. Eventually, the leader stepped in, and put a restraining hand on Whitey's shoulder, getting him to calm down.

"Be composed, brother. We have time to sort this out. No need to be hasty," the leader told him, then turned to the girl. "Now, sweetling," he said. "Show me what you're trying to say." The girl took his hand and he held hers for only a few seconds. He smiled his dumbass smile and turned to us again.

"And so we have a mystery on our hands, it seems. It would appear the child has grown. Yet Irina's first memory was clearly that of an immortal child. Curious."

"That's exactly what I'm trying to explain," Doc said. He held out his hand again for the leader, and I felt oddly protective of him. He should have backup out there or something.

"I would rather have the explanation from someone more central to the story, my friend. Am I wrong to assume that this breach was not of your making?"

"There was no breach," Carlisle defended.

"Be that as it may, I will have every facet of the truth," the leader's voice hardened. "And the best way to get that is to have the evidence directly from your talented son." He gestured in Edward's direction. "As the child clings to his newborn mate, I'm assuming Edward is involved."

Edward crossed the clearing, and offered his hand to the leader. It was painfully silent for a few moments before Edward relaxed.

"You see?" He asked.

"Yes, I see, indeed," the leader agreed. "I doubt whether any two among gods or mortals have ever seen quite so clearly. You have given me much to ponder, young friend," the leader continued. "Much more than I expected." Still he, didn't release Edward's hand. I could feel Bella nearly exploding beside me.

"May I meet her?" The leader asked. "I've never dreamed of the existence of such a thing in all my centuries. What an addition to our histories!" He cheered.

"What is this about, Aro?" The white demon snapped again.

"Something you've never dreamed of, my practical friend. Take a moment to ponder, for the justice we intended to deliver no longer applies." Whitey hissed in anger. Of course he wanted to kill some Cullens. "Peace, brother," the leader cautioned.

"Will you introduce me to your daughter?" The leader asked Edward again. Edward nodded reluctantly.

The two began to walk over to us, and the warrior leeches tried to follow. A few of us got antsy, but Aro called off his people.

"Hold, my dear ones. Truly, they mean us no harm if we are peaceable."

From here on out, it was like a damned episode of Law and Order. The leader talked to Nessie, and then ordered witnesses. A few of our guys gave witness, and when it was clear that we were innocent, Whitey got pissed off and killed the girl. I hoped to all hell that Dani didn't have any kind of attachment to her. Dani didn't need that.

"Let us council," The leader announced, and turned with some of the other leaders. The tension grew as we all prepared for a fight. I looked beside me where Bella and Renesmee were.

"You remember what I told you?" Bella told her daughter. Nessie was crying.

"I love you," she whispered. Edward was watching his family. This was breaking his heart. It was breaking _my_ heart.

"I love you, too," Bella said, touching Nessie's locket. "More that my own life," she kissed her forehead. Seth whined uneasily. Bella moved over closer to us and whispered.

"Wait until they're totally distracted, then run with her. Go get Dani, and get as far from this place as you possibly can. When you've gone as far as you can on foot, Nessie has what you need to get you in the air," Bella directed. That was why Dani was saying I had to leave if it turned into a fight. These two were a force to be reckoned with.

Nessie reached for Edward, and he took her in his arms. They hugged each other tightly.

"This is what you kept from me?" He whispered to Bella over Nessie's head.

"From Aro," Bella breathed.

"Alice?" Edward asked, knowingly. Bella nodded.

I turned to Bella, growling. I was pissed. Pissed at these vampires for taking me away from my girl, and pissed at them for taking away my best friend. Bella came over and pet me on the head.

"You, Seth, and Dani are the only ones we could ever trust her with," she murmured to me. "If you all didn't love her so much, I could never bear this." She turned to Seth.

"I know you can protect her, Seth," she whispered. He whined again. I dipped my head and butted it against Bella's shoulder. This sucked. _I love you, Bella._

Our lives had changed so much since we first met. How the hell did we get here? We used to make mud pies together and now we were about to fight to the death. We were a love story that never should have ended so well.

"I know," she whispered. "I love you too, Jake. You'll always be my best man." A tear rolled down my eye. If Dani was here she'd say I was being soft. Edward was saying goodbye to Seth, and now he made his way over to me.

"Goodbye, Jacob, my brother. Take care of my little sister," he gave a soft smile. I nodded. I would get out of here, and I would protect them. _You have my word, Edward. Thank you for trusting me with her._ Edward nodded.

"Is there no hope, then?" Carlisle whispered. There was no fear in his voice. Just determination and acceptance. The others weren't fond of our goodbye session.

"There is absolutely hope," Bella murmured back. "I only know my own fate." Edward took her hand. Suddenly, we were surrounded by murmured goodbyes and I love you's. Eventually, Bella noticed something that the rest of us missed.

"Get ready," she whispered. "It's starting."

"Chelsea is trying to break our bindings," Edward whispered. "But she can't find them. She can't feel us here. . . Are you doing that?" He asked Bella. She smiled grimly.

"I am all over this," she answered confidently.

"Carlisle? Are you all right?" Edward gasped frantically, reaching out towards the doc.

"Yes. Why?"

"Jane," Edward answered. There was a moment of silence. Something was happening behind the scenes that only the mind reader could pick up on.

"Incredible," Edward said.

"Why aren't they waiting for the decision?" One of the Alaskan blondes hissed.

"Normal procedure," Edward answered brusquely. "They usually incapacitate those on trial so they can't escape."

"No, this isn't normal procedure," a small pixie voice said coming behind us. "They have Dani, Edward."

* * *

We couldn't even react to Alice and Jasper's return because as she spoke, another leech was dragging Dani onto the clearing. Her body was dripping wet and she had blood running down her legs. I felt Embry and Leah come up beside me.

"Jacob, don't," Edward warned. _Are you kidding me?_ I yelled at him. _Look what they've done to her!_

"Jacob," Bella begged. I scratched the dirt and whined. Sam was now beside me as well. If I went to attack, they would take me down.

The leech threw her on the ground like she was nothing. I howled, and earned a few looks.

 _Jake, shut up!_ Someone yelled at me. I didn't care. Let them come at me. Let them fight me. I'd take every one of them down for what they did to her.

The leader walked over to where Dani was lying, and held out his hand. _Don't do it, Dani._

"Let me help you up, my dear," he offered. I growled.

"I can get up on my own," she spat at him. _That's my girl_ , I thought. I was relieved to hear her voice. She was okay, for now. If she could fight she was okay.

She stood up on her own, looking nothing better than a wounded animal, and then nearly fell to the ground again. The leech that brought her here grabbed her, and I started to move forward, but Sam stopped me.

 _Get out of the way, Sam,_ I growled at him.

 _If you attack them, we all die,_ Sam argued. _You need to control yourself._

 _What would you do if that was Emily?_ I challenged him.

 _Jake, don't fight him, man,_ Embry said. _Dani's got this. The Cullens won't let anything happen to her._

 _They killed that other leech,_ I pointed out. _They'll kill her._

 _If they were planning on killing her Alice and Edward would know by now,_ Seth added. He was right, and I retreated. It didn't make me feel any better.

"Peace," the leader held a hand to stop his guard. Apparently I wasn't the only one upset at the situation, and the warriors had reacted.

"I've heard many good things about you, my dear Danielle," the leader cooed. _She's not a child, you jackass_.

"I'm a good person," she coughed. It sounded like a strangled cat. _What did they do to you, baby?_

"I don't doubt that. Yet, here we are," the leader gestured towards us. "An immortal child and a human girl, all in the same family." Dani saw the fire where they burned that other vampire and looked terrified. She held her ground, though, like the determined troublemaker she is.

"I intend to become a vampire, and she's _not_ an immortal child," Dani said, trying to sound tough, but I could hear how her voice wavered. She was terrified. _Edward do something,_ I begged. Edward shook his head. Our hands were tied. Alice hadn't gotten here fast enough.

"Yet, you won't take my hand. You're hiding something, Danielle," the leader speculated. _Don't you fucking touch her,_ I growled.

"Alice has shown you," Dani defended. "I'm telling you the truth!" she yelled. She didn't even have a jacket on. Even if she did survive this she was going to be sick for months. I whined.

"Then prove it," the leader said, holding out his hand.

"You could always join your friend…or the girl," The leech behind her said, gesturing towards the fire. I growled even more, and Emmett came and stood beside me now, ready to take me down. This was torture.

"We were going to wait until I was eighteen," Dani whispered softly. _Don't give up, baby_ , I begged her. "If you don't believe me, turn me now," she offered. She was done fighting.

 _Don't you fucking do it_ , I growled.

"Jacob," Edward hissed. I could hear a few other growls and whines coming from our area. As strangled as I was, I knew others shared my feelings.

The leader looked annoyed, but then chuckled when Danielle refused to give her hand over yet again.

"You've raised a very brave girl, Carlisle!" Aro cheered, looking in our direction. "Come over, old friend," he invited. I could see the streaks of tears on Dani's face. _Just make it stop_ , I begged. _Stop hurting her like this._

Dani went to move over towards Carlisle, but the vampire behind her stopped her. She screeched in pain. Sam went in front of me.

"Demetri, that is unnecessary," Carlisle hissed. "You don't need to torture her in this way."

"Give in, child," the leader commanded. "Give me your hand."

"Do it, Danielle," Carlisle directed her. She looked at him, torn. _He's right, baby. It's not worth this. We can handle them, you just give him your hand._ I begged.

"I know too much," she confessed, suddenly. "I've known about vampires since I was six years old and I know more about them than any other human. After Edward and Alice visited you in Volterra, they made it clear that someday I would have to make a decision. My life or my humanity. I could not remain human and remain a part of their world. It is a crime, I confess," she pleaded. She was taking responsibility and confessing to things he already knew so that he wouldn't find out more than he had to. She was stalling. "For a long time, I didn't want to become a vampire. I was going to hide. Ryan was going to help me hide," she said, and stared at the vampire behind her. "Still, I don't want to die today. You have already killed two people. I don't want to be the third. I can give you my hand and I can give you my soul, but you need to give me my family."

"Aro!" Alice's voice called out from beside us. She had had enough of this torture as well. She must have seen that Dani wasn't going to be able to get herself out of this.

"Alice," Aro smiled. "I am assuming you have something to show me?"

"Yes," she said. Alice walked over to where they were all standing. She handed her hand over to Aro and showed him the vision.

"It is finished then. There will no fight today, friends!" He declared. I couldn't even relax. I wouldn't relax until I had Dani at home and in my arms.

"What do we do with the girl?" The other vampire said, lifting Dani up again. She screamed out again, and a whimpered. I hoped that this wasn't how she felt when I was hurt last summer.

"It's her decision," the leader explained. "What is it, my dear? Will you choose immortality or death?"

Dani looked conflicted. She didn't want to be a vampire, she never wanted to be a vampire. She was terrified to become one. She had hoped that there was enough time. When Bella have her the out she was relieved. She didn't have an out this time.

 _Edward, she has to change,_ I told him. _She has to become a vampire I can't lose her._ I was being selfish. There was a time when I didn't think I could love her if she became a vampire, but I knew that wasn't true anymore. If she died, I couldn't survive. Bella was fully functional as a leech, maybe Dani would be too. It was a risk I was willing to take if it meant that Dani would be able to live.

"It's her decision, Jacob," Edward said, sadly. He was reading the situation.

 _Edward do something!_ I growled at him. _You know she's thinking of everyone but herself right now!_

"I need your decision, Danielle," the leader sighed impatiently. _Edward!_

"Carlisle, do it!" Edward called out, and just as Aro was telling them that time was up, the doc was grabbing Danielle out of the other leech's arms and biting into her neck.

EDWARD POV

All hell broke loose. A few of the guards saw Carlisle's move as an attack, and began to move forward. Dani broke into earth-shattering screams that destroyed all of us. It took Sam, Embry, Leah, and Emmett to hold Jacob back. Jacob fought so hard that he broke some of his bones when Emmett tried to hold him back. Embry got a few bites into him as well. He was going to be hurting for a little while.

"Bella, Seth, it's over. Get Renesmee out of here," I directed. Nessie didn't need to see this. I walked across the clearing to where Carlisle was holding Dani in his arms and the rest of the guard was looking for a fight.

"Leave in peace, Aro," I told him stiffly. He was taken aback at my tone, but I didn't have time to argue with him. He was finished here. "Please remember that we still have our anonymity to protect here, and keep your guard from hunting in this region."

"Of course, Edward. I'm sorry to earn your disapproval. Particularly yours, dear Carlisle," he gestured to where Carlisle was on the ground, trying to sooth Dani as best as he could. Rosalie and Jasper were still holding Esme back on the other side of the clearing.

"Perhaps, in time, you will forgive me," Aro mused.

"Perhaps, in time, if you prove a friend to us again," Carlisle whispered from the ground. Aro nodded and led his procession out.

"We have to get her home," I told Carlisle.

"She's hypothermic," he diagnosed. She was soaked to the bone and turning blue.

"Come on," I said, and we brought her home.

CARLISLE POV

"You did the right thing, Carlisle," my wife told me. We had cleaned Danielle up and made her bed. Right now, there was just a sheet on it. Because of the transition, we didn't want to put any blankets on her. The transition would heal the hypothermia.

"How can I know? It was her decision to make. I promised that I would let her make it, and I failed. It was the one thing I promised I would never do to her," I sighed, sadly. Unlike Bella, she was still crying in pain. She called out for me sometimes, and it broke my heart. Other times, she'd call for Jake or for Edward. We tried to keep Jacob away, but I knew as soon as he was walking again he'd be up here with her.

"She'll forgive you, Carlisle," my wife assured me. "Our daughter is strong. She loves you so much. She'll understand."

"I'm so proud of her," I smiled. She had defeated the impossible. She was stronger than anyone I had ever met. She had weathered every storm she faced and did it with dignity.

I grabbed a cool washcloth and stroked her head. She was back to crying. I hummed a song to her, in hopes it would calm her down.

"You're my storming sky, my love. You are the storm that keeps us on our toes. You will pull through this and I pray that immortal life treats you better than your human life. It's going to be okay," I cooed. I heard the rest of my family downstairs, pacing. We were all together again, and we were all alive. Danielle would pull through, and everything was going to be okay. That's all I could ever ask.

 **A/N:** **1 Year. 100 Chapters. 330+ Reviews. I couldn't have done it without you guys. This chapter wasn't supposed to be written yet, never mind posted, but I woke up to ten or so reviews asking me to continue the last chapter. I knew it would be absolutely cruel to make you all wait another fifteen days for the one year anniversary of "Storming Sky," so I was a nice person and finished the story off early. This is my baby, and I'm so happy to have shared this with you. With that said, I will be continuing this story with a sequel which will focus on Dani as a vampire. It is called "After the Storm" and already has its first chapter :) I am so grateful to have you all in my life and if you loved "Storming Sky" please head over and check out the sequel. It will fill in some holes from the last two chapters here as Dani discovers what truly happened, as well as continue the saga. Thank you all so much!**


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